


Angel's Ark

by FlametheSeraph



Category: Everyman HYBRID, FireFight 347, Marble Hornets, Rusty Lake | Cube Escape (Video Games), Slender Man Mythos, Tenshi no Tamago | Angel's Egg
Genre: "WeRe GoNNa dEFeaT ThE OpeRATor ANd weRe GonNa DO iT DruNK!", Angel's Ark Au, Angst, Anime-ish, But before the Comic series, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, I will use all the fake words I want, I will use all the italics I want, M/M, Mainly Marble Hornets, Masked Identities have different names, Multi, Multiple Endings, OCD undertones for Jay, Post-Canon, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Self-Reflection, Slow Burn, soundtrack, tarot symbolism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 76
Words: 167,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23583712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlametheSeraph/pseuds/FlametheSeraph
Summary: Months later after Entry 80, Jay wakes up a stranger in a strange land, and - what ever happened to the ark? Who knows? It could be right under our feet - yeah right.Say Marble Hornets wasn't a beginning, wasn't an end. Rather, one event in the middle of a larger scheme. The stakes are higher than Jay, Tim, or Brian could ever have imagined, and everyone must face their demons - both literally and figuratively. One final chance, before they all crash into the sea.(Also Jessica and Toby team up to kick ass because I need this dynamic)
Relationships: Brian/Jay/Timothy "Tim" W., Brian/Timothy "Tim" W., Hoody/Masky/Skully (Marble Hornets), Jay Merrick/Brian Thomas, Jay Merrick/Timothy "Tim" Wright, Kevin Haas/Noah Maxwell, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Others Not Listed
Comments: 90
Kudos: 108
Collections: Angel's Ark





	1. [Act 1: My World] Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> Takes some elements from the 80's Movie Angel's Egg. It's a very beautiful and eerie animation with little to no plot as its meaning is left up to the viewer. Very underrated. As well as the game series Rusty Lake, another physchological, trippy horror genre. Highly recommend both. While it takes elements from these, the central plot always surrounds the marble hornets characters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay wakes up. (Updated) (Links Fixed)
> 
> Alternative Summary: Jay has been kidnapped by Bear Grylls

**[Act 1 My World]**

[(Overheat - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/rJvAixHVEyQ)

Something shined too bright for him to ignore any longer. With a disapproving grunt, he scrunched his lids together, fingers twitching awake, becoming aware of the texture of sand as he clenched. Bleary-eyed, he was met by a white noon sun and pale blue skies. 

Squinting, trying to focus, still in the calm daze of a warm summer nap. But when did he lay down to rest? And who was he -

 _'Alex_ '. Jay froze to the hot sand, racing over himself - fearing movement would disrupt whatever strange balance or comfort he had. He waited. There was no pain coming from the wound in his gut. No buzzing hornets in his brain. And the sounds … normal. No eerie quiet that preceded that _thing's_ arrival.

The bite of worry finally hit, realizing he didn't hear Tim either. He wasn't that far off right? Jay swore he heard him yelling before … He sat up.

Water. Miles and miles of blue lay flat and undisturbed. Whilst on the shoal of some beach, the waves did not lap at the sand like he would expect. He mentally searched for the camera but it was nowhere on his person, feeling a bit off without it strapped to his chest and recorder in hand.

Lifting his jacket and shirt came next - Stained and black with old blood, still a torn hole. But inspecting the skin, revealed it was only marred and slightly tender to the touch. Same on his back. _'It must've gone through…"_ But - what didn't kill him must've left some kind of internal damage. Did he even want to know?

He ran fingers shakily over the spot, abdomen tensing, only response a spark to the nerves. Everything was closed and grown over with a thick, brown patch of angry skin, so he let that fear subside, and turned efforts back to pure confusion.

He swiveled his head around before daring to stir and make noise. Behind him, only a few feet through rocks and sand, a line of forest and roots began; thick, much more tangled than anything like Rosswood, Tufts of obstinate grass poked up in patches for any sunlight that managed to break the canopy. No menacing glares. No masked silhouettes. No tall faceless egg head in a suit. Just bird song and the croak of summer frogs.

He stood, slowly, letting his head adjust, rubbing a hand through his hair to find his cap missing with it grown down to his ears. He rubbed his face - scruffy - probably looked disheveled. He might kill for a razor right now. 

That didn't matter. What mattered was _movement._ Staying alive in the past years meant constantly moving, awake and alert, a clawing anxiety to keep walking like it was the only way to breathe. Losing great chunks of time wasn't new but he needed to figure out where he was, where Tim was. _Where Alex was._ He gasped. What if Alex had gotten to Tim already? This spurred him to pace faster along the rocky shoreline.

 _'But this'_ \- he gazed out at the water - ' _if this is the ocean, how far am I from Benedict Hall? I don't think there were any big lakes in Rosswood. I would've noticed by now … no no I'm thinking about this wrong. Look at the trees! I don't even know how long it's been I could be thousands of miles away from Alabama and Tim could be long gone -'_ He recognized the ensuing panic and drowned it with a deep breath. ' _He might've won though … yeah he could've won.'_ He thought. ' _Or maybe he moved far away from all of it and started a new life…'_

But would the hooded man even allow Tim to give up? And how far would that thing go to chase its prey? He hated not knowing, waiting around for the answers to kick 'em in the teeth. 

The sun glinting off of something metallic caught his sight, further up the curved beach. Approaching he sidestepped into the cover of the tree stands to view it.

A white van, wheels sunk in the sand, abandoned and left to rot. No signs of life. He proceeded carefully, the front of the vehicle leaning further into the dredge. He peaked through a dirty, but intact windshield. No one inside. He tried the passenger's door. No give. The same when he jiggled the knob of the drivers side. He circled around to the rear of the van, facing the ocean a few yards away. He pulled these doors, but still, no dice. Should he break a window? There were rocks around decent enough for the task

' _That would make a lot of noise though'_. Wait, why did he care?

Now glancing at the upended bumper, dangling on the lip of the exhaust pipe, were two gold keys on a ring. " _Well that was easy."_ He inserts one and with a satisfying click, the vehicle's lock disengaged. 

The inside was musty but relatively tidy in comparison to the state of the exterior. A dust covered sleeping bag sprawled on the floor, with two plastic work chests strapped to the side of the wall. Opening one, he found some mundane sets of clothing, a brown uniform scrubs, pristinely yellow rain gear, and underneath …

A mask.

But that was somewhat reassuring. Jay wasn't _entirely_ lost. It was similar to Tim's, a flimsy white plastic with dark circles edged around the eyes, and a grid drawn over the mouth … resembling a skull - with eyebrows. He buried it back under the garments for now. Maybe he could change out, wash the stains out of his own stuff?

In the other chest, a basic tool box took up one side. Placed adjacently on the bottom were two axes, a flat and pikehead, red and yellow paint chipping away from the handles. A big ass shovel. Various sized and dented buckets which toppled over in a stack as Jay hoisted them out, and some empty glass bottles. He scrutinized the vans lining, searching for hatches or false bottoms, then crawled over the front seat to shuffle through the glove box compartments. Cleaned out, nothing to identify the owner or insurance, just like the license plates had been removed, and the inspection stickers non-existent. Nothing to tell who, what, and when about the car. He pulled the sun visors down and In the driver's seat, out fell a folded pamphlet. ' _Bingo'._

Unwrapping it showed a neatly hand-drawn map, depicting a small triangular-shaped land mass in the middle of a large body of water. Red markers peppered parts of the beach, and some out in the water. Towards the northwest point, he noted a white sticker … of a van.

_'Shit … does that mean-'_

He was stuck on an island, god knows where.

Bile rose in his throat. There was no escape if he were chased by that thing - If he were chased by anyone! He could be alone or with someone else and both aspects terrified him endlessly. But he could manage alone. He'd been alone so long. Yes, he could manage that at least.

But if he's alone? It's just him. No grocery stores, motels, or cheap fast-food that he would consider gourmet here. He curled into the passenger's seat, pulling his sneakers onto the dash so that they left sandy prints. The map rested on his lap as he rubbed his face again. ' _I can think through this. I have before. I've always found a way if I just THINK.'_ Bits of Survivor began playing in his head, scraping up what he could remember. Shelter, water, food. Shelter, water, food. In that order. If he could repeat that in his head he could keep his remaining sanity.

Shelter: The van could serve as that perfectly, he didn't have to build anything, which in full honesty - he could not do.

Water: That's the first issue. There's buckets, if he waited for it to rain, maybe he could boil that. But what if it's too acidic? He had no idea if boiling even helped that issue! Should he even be concerned with acid rain right now? And when would it even rain? The sky was cloudless. He could only survive 3 days without water, much less before - No don't think about that Jay. Don't think about it. 

An idea. The trees had to have some kind of water in it right? Was it even safe? It had to be partially filtered - but they could be poisonous already. Could he boil that? How would he go about collecting -

He flipped the map over to see scurried yet legible English. The way it was scrawled he feared Alex for a moment, but it was not his handwriting.

"NO LARGE PREDATORY ANIMALS. NO PEST BUGS. NO SPIDERS. I HATE SPIDERS. ANIMALS NON-COMBATIVE BUT NOT SHY EITHER." They were bulleted notes apparently. "NO MORE THAN 2̶ ̶K̶L̶I̶C̶K̶S̶ A SQUARE MILE. CREEK BEGINS AT PEAK. SMALL CAVES NEAR VAN, NOT DEEP ENOUGH TO GET LOST. BE CAREFUL OF COLLAPSING SAND. DON'T EAT THE RED MUSHROOMS. BERRIES SAFE? SAFE IN SMALL NUMBERS. WILL VOMIT IF YOU EAT TOO MUCH. THEY REALLY SUCK." It continued like this for a while on, but Jay absorbed all of it, as his life quite literally depended on it. Small blurbs about the island's terrain, what to do and what not to do. "Lots of buried stuff" what was this, a pirate's map? The points started to take a sharp turn towards cryptic and yet, comical.

"UNHEALTHY AMOUNT OF FISHING POLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN. LOOKS LIKE SPIDER LEGS. I HATE SPIDERS. OCEAN ISN'T DEEP. NOT A STANDARD OCEAN. THERE ARE NO SEASONS JUST RAIN. DID I MENTION THERE WERE NO SPIDERS?"

The sky was still clear as far as Jay could tell, how old was this information? And then something downright peculiar finished the notations. 

"IT NEVER STOPPED RAINING. NOT AFTER 40 DAYS, NOT AFTER 40 YEARS. THE ARK IS HERE."

Chills ran down his being, and he spoke out loud the first time since he awoke " _The ark is here_ ." Silent once more. _'ToTheArk'._ A hundred thoughts bubbled and only yielded more and more unsolved questions that Jay could barely process. ' _Did ToTheArk write this? It sure doesn't feel like their kind of thing. Is it just coincidence? No it can't be. It's too weird. This smells like the usual bullshittery. Is it literal or figurative? What is the ark? Blah blah blah blah-'_

Jay had spent most of his time cracking codes, assuming the ark was just another one of them. He never considered it a physical _thing._ ' _You will lead me to the ark. The ark is here.'_ God was someone here with him? Who would be so desperate to get to a deserted island? _'Well maybe it's whatever is located at these red spots. Maybe the person behind this wants whatever "stuff" is buried. Maybe … maybe …'_

He found it increasingly hard to focus now. He needed to eat to think, blood sugar likely dropping from the lack of food. Shelter, water, food. Shelter, water, food. There's a creek further in it said. That is the water. If there's animals, there's food. 

With the sun hanging sometime past noon, Jay decided he was going to need to secure some means of survival if he really wanted to focus on the map. He somewhat missed the old days of running on caffeine and greasy junk food, or peanut butter crackers from a convenient store, crumbs always inumerable despite his best efforts to contain them. Now that he had to actually focus on his health, well - it was not something he was used to.

He grabbed two pails, deciding he could manage that much water within a mile. It wasn't necessarily that he trusted the map, more that he wanted to, _needed_ to. It kept him level-headed, something to go off of. 

So he was going to follow it - for now anyways. He decided he would change his clothes after the escapade; sweat in the ones that are already dirty. He was careful with the map, tucking it in his jean pocket folded as nicely as it had been found. Taking a last look, he chose the pike head axe. It was at least some kind of protection for a stranger in a strange land. Maybe he could get something to eat with it … having to kill some poor animal was a thought he had been trying to avoid. He'll look for plants first. (As if he knew what was edible)

Scanning over one last time through a crack between the door and the van wall, he stepped out and locked the van again on the way, placing the keys in the non-bullet-hole pocket, and set off into the thick.

\----

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	2. Trial and Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay cannot-not fall on everything. (Updated) (Link Fixed)
> 
> Alternative Summary: Jay's a learning dumbass

[(River Fire - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/RYPTiLdfRS8)

Jay discovers fairly soon that the twisted wall of branches only borders the ocean. Inside this barrier grows trees more similar to the Magnolia's and beautiful Angel Oaks, raining with ivy vines, that he's more used to in the South. He moved with care, root bumps everywhere are concealed by dead leaves. A relaxing breeze manages to find him in the thicket, but he doesn't think he can ever let his guard down again. _'Sure it's pretty now, what's it like after dark.'_ He looks up to the chittering of angry squirrels, noting their pure white fur. Though - Still no feeling of being followed. 

Further in the slope increases, mossy boulders jutting out. The creek was "near the peak" - up had to be the right way to go. His gut twists further, really not in the mood for a tumble in the leaves, halting at a high ridge stretching in either direction. He chose the right, walking inland - if he was understanding the map right. He kept a few feet back, fearing a rock fall. 

The ridge curves inward, a crevice a few yards wide, with the echo of flowing water and pattering on the rocks, rounding the corner, area increasingly narrow, until the source of the sound was revealed. A story-high waterfall cascaded off the stone, and flowed out down crags below him. This would do for now, he figures a larger creek must be up the sheer cliff face. He isn't going to risk climbing it now... Or perhaps, there's another way around?

He collects two pails of water, but then sets them down.

He might be able to follow the water down... It pours through a small tunnel in the rock, and Jay can see light on the other side. 

It's a steep and precarious going. He scoots to the drop and put a foot down, fixing his sneaker to a rock. Satisfied there's no give, he leans weight into it, moving down rock by rock, steady. He recalls rock climbing being more Brian's thing. 

_"Always have three points of contact so you don't fall. Don't get ahead of yourself!"_ Brian sounds happy in his memories -

His shoe scuffs against algae and he slips, the feeling of his nails digging into grime before he totally falls off with a gasp.

Rock, water, sky flies past him as he slides across rough edges and sharp points, scraping his arms up uselessly looking for a hold, feet finally contacting enough ground to come to a halt, bracing against the wall, breathing heavily, before looking over his shoulder to find he'd reached the bottom - banged up, but alive. 

He's saturated in mud, plants, probably smelled wretched, and still stuck with sand and old blood. He wants to scrape his flesh off. But he has found what he'd hoped for; The falls open into a much larger creek, sun glinting off the surface - and the silvery scales of fish.

He hadn't caught, much less killed a fish before, much rather prefering them as pets. There was the occasional dismal fishing trip his father would try to take, as it was a "father's duty" to teach his son how to "live off the land". Too bad he didn't know how to fish either, so they'd spend awkward hours of silence waiting for something to happen. His father would give tips eventually, but they were nothing worthwhile, just words to fill the air. One time they went to the grocery store to get a fish that was already dead. Dad said it would make mom happy if her son had caught a fish … But Jay thinks she knew all along. She'd still put on a smile and ruffle his hair fondly, ask him how big and strong he would grow up to be one day.

"And here we are." He had gone from a film major to a paranoiac running around with no job, no money, and friends his parents wouldn't ever have approved of. 

Did he regret it?

….

Jay didn't know the answer to that.

Anyways - How hard could it be?!? Just catch and … drown a fish… just throw a fish on the land. No he couldn't do that in good conscience. Maybe he'd throw it on the land, and hit it with the axe. Yes, that would have to do. 

He wades a few feet out, still in his pants, trying to spot a fish. They dart around incredibly fast. He figures maybe a lunging technique is at hand. But even when he swears he is above one, the refraction throws him off.

One lunge too many past his center of gravity, and he topples once more that day into the creek. It wasn't deep, but in his panic, he fails to realize that, kicking and flailing. His clothes weigh him down, tangling his legs together - he could see the light shining through the green surface and heard ringing behind his forehead, ' _Stand up Idiot'._ His feet touch the bed and he stands, shoulders easily above water. He scrambles out to the bank and collapses in a mess of heavy-breathing like an angry cat. It had only been a few seconds, but it could be hours just the same. It's … quiet … under there. 

Damn his stomach, he's had enough - soaked to the bone and refusing to be among the trees at night. Not alone, never again. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't.

He scales the way he came, slippery, but this time, never falling. Once his feet are in solid dirt he picks his pails up making the journey back to the van. At least the terrain was recognizable.

He weaves through the thick branch wall to see the bright vehicle still there, a giddy feeling budding in his chest. He set the tins to the side of the van.

_'Water. We've gotta boil the water.'_

He took the axe with him to the treeline. Sticks and stones may break my bones but can also make a fire. Some of it is loose enough to pull off, throwing them in a pile, but he needs bigger logs to boil with. He sets his eyes on a sizable root.

He does his best to raise the axe up, swinging down. Instead of what he hoped, it bounces off the log at an angle - momentum taking him with it. He tries this twice more, still deflecting. ' _Am I really this weak?'_ He sighs.

But maybe… he tries emulating what he had seen on television. Gripping the thing with both hands, raising it high above his shoulder, feet apart to avoid the knee. He brought it down, this time throwing his back into it - a burst of pride when it hits straight, leaving a sizable chink in the wood.

 _'Trial and error'_ He beams.

With each cut he finds it easier to manage, to understand, what it should feel like as it makes contact and reverbs through his arms. He has himself a good log. 'I _should make this a trophy.'_

"Ha." snuffing out loud for the first time in forever.

He knows enough on how to start a fire from a not-so-legal college party. The first and last he ever would go to - Alex thought it would be educational, and ended up leaving an hour in, pulling Jay with him and complaining about all the underage drinking and general "melarchy"... He doesn't want to think about Alex now.

He picks out what he hopes to be flint, and strikes the butt end of the axe until sparks fly out, landing in the dry grass kindling. Finally, it sticks and grows to the twigs. He pushes more fuel into it, semi-wishing he had smores right now. Water would have to do. He tries clearing a platform in the middle of the fire, a little space to set the bucket, then the other, squeezed next to it, careful not to spill.

' _There's gotta be something to eat…'_

A small gail blowd the scent of salt in his face. On the way over, there _was_ plenty of vegetation growing on the rocks … seaweeds edible right? Well - he's either going to go hungry or find out. 

After bringing back a bucket full of green and brown soggy strands, he chooses to rid himself of the disgusting clothing, stripping down to his undergarments, and setting them on the van hood, leaving the task for later.

But as for the Seaweed … not too sure. Did you just … eat it like it was? Maybe he should wash it first though... He scoops a glob full of yucky green into clear water. It would have to work for now. 

He notices the beginning signs of boiling, his third victory of the day. But any cheer is choked out of him by the sky turning a pinkish hue. 

He soon laces a stick under the bucket handles, lifting them one, then the other, off to cool. When he dares sticking his hand in the seaweed, he pulls out a long strip, smelling it hesitantly. ' _Here goes nothing and everything'._ He tears off a bit of the fibrous leaf. It was salty, but not _bad._ He could eat almost anything right now. So he made a meal of this one ingredient "seaweed soup". He uses the glass bottles to collect water from the other bucket, drinking one down and storing the rest. He lets the fire continue to burn. 

It's getting dark now. He climbs in the van with his keys and axe, and triple checks that everything's locked from the inside. He didn't want to get the sleeping bag any dirtier than it already was, and opted to slip out of his underwear and into the uniform slacks in the chest. He sat the axe next to the bag. He was about to lie down but couldn't accept that the windows were uncovered, so he goes around to cloak those. Checking the locks a fourth time, he curls into the sleeping bag defensively, pulling it up to his mouth. He keeps his eyes shut, the childhood logic of "If I can't see it, it can't kill me," wrapped in his brain.

At least with a belly full of strange ocean plants and water, he's content enough. He feared insomnia but with all the turmoils of the day, sleep has mercy on him. Drifting, he wonders where Tim was. Was he sleeping? Maybe he was lying in bed just like this. ' _I hope he's safe._ '

\---

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	3. Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay leaves fear behind. Or he thinks he does. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> GET IN THE BATH

[(Crowd Hammer)](https://youtu.be/CW2vCJdoegw)

There's no ignoring the sore muscles and bruises as Jay awakes in warmth, What little spots of light coming through the windows illuminate the dust particles floating softly in the air. He scrapes a hand through oily hair, deciding something needs to be done about it. _Now._ Figuring out what is going on is probably more important but he's going to start fidgeting if he can't get clean-ish.

He knows about certain plants he could grind up for soap from a paranoid google search he made once - But what they actually looked like … no clue. He knows what a Willow tree looks like, kinda. 

He feels like sinking down and dying rather than do these tasks. He doesn't know where he is or what he's even doing. Was it even useful? But he supposes it could be worse - The map notes are a lifeline. That single phrase "The ark is here" kept him going - a reason for him to be here, to still be alive. So goddamnit, if he has to figure out how soap is made, he's gonna do it. ' _Can only get further if I'm alive…'_ But he doesn't know if he should play the waiting game or go searching.

More walking is in store, around the beach this time, the other direction of where he woke up. The sandbank is larger out here, less rocky, and the branch wall gives way into less spiraling trees. He even finds exactly where the creek split into a delta, out to sea. He coulg get across most of the gaps with a leap, but this one - he didn't vouch on making. He's still dressed in the brown scrubs from the night before, so he takes them off, rolling his pants legs up, and traverses the stream. After a few more of these he saw the telltales leaves of a Willow next to the water up ahead - maybe he _is_ having a streak of luck. 

\---

He cooks another pot of seaweed, while experimenting with the Willow fronds. The right combo of water and friction are supposed to produce some kind of suds - Nothing fancy but it would wipe away the grime at least, where he wants to tear at his skin again. He sets his cuisine aside and returns down to the creek with the clothes he had arrived in - attempting once more to lather the leaves. He tries washing his jacket in the bucket, before dipping it in the stream, repeating this, until finally some progress is made on the old red. He just has to keep at it. Soon he's waist deep in the creek trying to vigorously scrub the dirt and stains from the tiny, criss-crossed threads. 

This doesn't feel so bad … It's small, but it's progress. Jay has to be doing _something_ right. He uses some leaves to wipe his teeth down - picking over himself meticulously - the taste is bitter but not horrid, spitting it out with a swig from the glass bottle. 

Satisfied enough with the clothes, he puts them in their own bucket - Buckets are becoming Jay's favorite thing -besides cameras. 

He guesses the best way to clean one's self out here os to strip down and the self-consciousness brings a familiar panic back. He hasn't double checked his surroundings. Flinging his head back and forth, waiting for movement for the shadows the footsteps the shouts the static. 

…

It is quiet. Nothing is moving just beyond his view waiting to bite. He identifies the sounds one by one. The creek babbling. Wind and leaves. Birds singing. And himself. _'I'm still alive because my heart beats right here._ He places his hand over his chest, and sure enough he can feel it thumping away. He's ok.

Slowly, he turns back to the task at hand. He sinks up to his neck in the brook, a chilly but comfortable cold, as he dissolves away the sweat, dirt, blood and the rest of the ecosystem with the leaf water. He bites his nails down to the skin, always hating, detesting when crud collected under them. He dunks his head under, scraping the oil he can out, using the rest of the mixture to do so.

He returns to "camp" and rests his clothes on the windshield to dry, eats more seaweed, then decides to take inventory on the tool box. It's akin to the kind his father had safe stocked in the back of the garage - The grand total of four times Jay remembered him actually working on the car. But they're all conveniently labeled, like they're intended to be used by someone unfamiliar - someone like himself. A "K-Tool Kit" No idea what to use it for. A couple of small mallets safeguarded with rubber, assortments of handheld screwdrivers, pliers, a small pile of red knots, all attached to one another, some kind of air-bag contraption and a pile up of different pocket knives. 

He flips through all of the knives, picking one out with a razor and sharpening it. Sliding it along his face, it's slow going, but doable. He went to town, gently sliding hair off until he resembles himself again. Then, he takes to his head. He isn't any kind of barber, so he has to feel the length out. He gets it to just about where he wanted, and holds it out from his head, cutting through it with the razor. Before long he has short tufts sticking here and there, which he can smooth down, but at least now he felt "clean". He could focus.

Focus on what exactly? With his tasks complete - the thoughts swarm. Thinking of everything he's been through, all that progress, and now he's stuck … wherever here is, sitting like a bump on a log. _You let them down._

He recalls the writing on the mirror of Tim's House.

" ** _LAST CHANCE ⨂"_**

He sifts through his stuff, unfolding the map once more. He could guess the relative distance based on how far he walked …

' _That one'_ one of the closer marks, X in a red crayon on yellowed paper. It's the closest to the shoreline. No more than 30 meters out. _He can make that. Totally._


	4. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first of some flashbacks of what happened to Jay between then and now. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Blackout drinking isn't fun

**Flashback**

**(Jay)**

(Blue[ Sizzle)](https://youtu.be/wcwBTg41CRk)

_"Shittt" that thing had teleported him somewhere and he was dying. He had to be dying. The camera was gone. His knife was gone._

_The bullet wasn't even the worst of it. His abdominal muscles contacted horribly, vainly trying to seal off the area so he wouldn't bleed out. It was akin to the worst runner's cramp ever. And he felt sick, he knew something was out of place._

_Don't think about it._

_His guts could be mangled right now._

_Don't think about it._

_What if they fall out?_

_DON'T THINK ABOUT IT._

_No no they weren't going to fall, the contortion reminded him of this. He was in the field behind Alex's old house. And it was dark again like that fateful night._

_There was a warmth he'd hack up through his nose, running down again to his mouth and he didn't want to know what it tasted like. He could feel the static ramping up behind his nose, rattling his frontal bone, making his eyes water._

_He fought for breath, rolling onto his side to try and spit liquid out, to stop choking._

_It was here though. Get away. How could he though?_

_It's long arm shot out grabbing him again as he moved plateaus with a sickening thud. This thing was throwing him around like a play toy._

_Because he's finally won. He has me down and wounded._

_Jay felt a resurgence of anger in his panic._

_It's_ **_celebrating_** _._

_It finally got the thorn in its side._

_A 7 year menace that managed to escape every time._

**_It's weak._**

_Why didn't it go after everyone it could? Feast away on the earth? Why did it shatter and break cameras to static. Is that why Alex drew. Because it was the only way to tell the world._

**_It's weak._**

_It needed something else to trap its prey._

_In his final moments, heart racing from blood loss, his eyes burst wide._

_'It's weak: It can't handle all of us together. It can't_

_take on numbers. That's why. That's why.'_

_The man in the hood, alone. Trying to call for help. To get help. But he didn't trust us either..._

_Alex … you we're … alone. And it got you … you knew, but it was too late._

_Just like me._

_Just li-_

_It was too cold to continue._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, if you're worried - no your organs won't just ... You know ... Fall out. They're attached. Not that horror movie anatomy.


	5. The Fishermen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay's first dive. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay's a fucking idiot

[(Sea - Houseki no Kuni](https://youtu.be/f68VA6E1Ep8))

Jay's toes dig into the shallows. Waves have picked up a little bit, lapping at his knees. He shoves along a log, a makeshift flotation device. 

_'This is it._ '

He pushes his way through the break, log not cooperating with him whatsoever. When he reaches the point where his toes could not dig into the bottom, he slings himself over the log and kicks.

_This was a stupid horrible idea. 'Just gotta keep moving before I can tap out.'_

It feels like he was going nowhere in the water, but looking over his shoulder every so often, the beach grows farther away. It's only a hundred feet out. Not that far. And it can't be that deep … _right?_

But Jay has lost the ability of rational thought ages ago. Should he close his eyes and feel around? Open them? Oh well. He took deep breaths, refusing to back down. At least the waves were steadier out here.

Satisfied with the distance, he holds his breath, ducking his eyes in the water. But he can't see anything but blue. He would have to go down.

With a sigh, he lets go of his lifeline. 

He floats freely in the ocean. A small man in the abyss. He looks at the sky for a moment, drowning out negative thoughts. 

And he dives.

Jay wasn't known to be a great swimmer. Didn't enjoy it much either. The kind of kid at a birthday party to sit at the table and drink juice pouches while others splashed chlorine all over the concrete. He could swim enough to stay alive, but fighting against floating upwards was a different story.

But something comes into view. It is … a fishing bob. A black line attached to it and retreating into the shadows. But he needs air, and rises to the surf, gasping for breath.

 _'Alright. There_ **_is_ ** _something."_

So he plummets again. He reaches the fishing line, avoiding the hook, and tugs. Whatever holds it down is anchored. He uses the string as leverage and pulls himself down. For some reason he doesn't feel the immediate itch for air he has the first time.

Coming into view, more and more sea hooks, floating up from some unknown bottom like kelp. He's surrounded, outnumbered - but he keeps going. 

Light. A soft incandescent lamp shines … under the ocean. A metal hatch of sorts beneath it, weighted with gravel. The fishing poles are also stuck in the gravel. He finds a handle and tries the door, too heavy. He plants his feet pulling desperately before the need for oxygen screamed in his head.

He sits several minutes at the surface, feeding his starved lungs.

' _This isn't right it wouldn't be this deep out here. Fishing rods don't sit in gravel. Wrong wrong wrong_.' But he shoved it all away.

Third time's the charm. He plunges down as fast as possible, trying to save air time. Down the line, to the lamp, gripping the handle. He pushes gravel with his bare hands, they would burn later. His feet slip against green algae on the door, but the momentum was enough. In a flash of ocean dust and escaping air, it opens. Quickly peering in, he notes it'd only the size of a cabinet. A single wooden chest, small enough to carry, lay ajared against the sidewall. It doesn't appear to be rotting at all under all this saltwater. No time for that. He plucks the box.

A sharp pain shoots him (again) almost releasing his air. His back spasms from the spot on his abdomen. ' _It's not fully healed. Of course it's not.'_

He moves, but his wrist catches, tangled in a line. " _How … I wasn't near them…_ " Now he's beginning to panic, he unwraps the coord from his feet only to find he is bound in the stuff. Trapped. Pulling him like a spiderweb. He thrashes about, trying to dislodge the poles from the bottom.

He screams, loud and clear even in the thick crushing water. When he tugs hard enough at the pole, a hand pokes out of the gravel. _'Oh god what have I done what have I done I'm going to join them. Down here. No one will ever know.'_

Roaring in his ears. 

**LAST CHANCE ⨂.**

More hands reach from the bottom. 

" _NO YOU LISTEN TO ME! YOU CAN KEEP PLAYING YOUR LITTLE DETECTIVE GAMES ALL YOU WANT, BUT DO ME A FAVOR AND STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!"_

The arms were made of stone. Statue. He fought for his life.

**Lakes In Stillness Will Take Every life of the Night.**

**LISTEN.**

He bites at the wires digging into his wrist.

_"I don't know. This town just doesn't feel the same to me anymore. I missed it so much when I was in college. But now that I'm back… I just feel like a depressed teenager all over again, stuck in a loop of unhappiness."_

What?

_"When I first moved here, I remember hearing a story that back in the 1800s they thought this place was blessed because everything would grow so fast. They would take their worst criminals, murderers, child molesters and they would put them on trial before God out here. They would tie them up to the trees, and the idea was that they would get stretched out, kind of like a rack. They never fed or gave them water though, so they would just die of dehydration."_

_"Why are you telling me this?"_

_"They never cut down the bodies, they would just burn the whole tree with them still on it. They stopped doing it though after the kid went missing, and he finally turned up in the area where they would do the trials. He had been dismembered and strung up."_

_"So is this why we are out here, to look at trees and tell spooky ghost stories?"_

_"_ **_Come here."_ **

' _Let go of me.'_

\---

The he but not he awakens.

" **Let. Go."** The lines burst out from him, snaking away. The fishermen crumble to stone dust.

He but not _he_ walks across the floor, fishing rods floating to the surface with nothing to hold them down.

He but not _he_ does not need to breathe here but _he_ would soon. _He_ wouldn't last.

Grabbing the box, he walks forward into the ocean forest.

" **Foolish. Drowning in your own home. Irresponsible."**

Fish swim between the branches, colorful orbs against the deep blue. He reaches the ridge, and let's himself float up. 

" **The idiot. Didn't even realize it's a straight drop off 10 feet in. Reckless … but that's how** **_he_ ** **got here in the first place."**

He walks onto the beach, clothes dissolving just as they had appeared into the water.

**"Not much longer, you hermit fool."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all can probably guess who's talking. I'll give more notes on then later.
> 
> NGL getting stuck in fishing line even for a moment is terrifying.


	6. Liquescimus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay wakes up. Yet again. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay has one of those hippy moments where the stars align and God speaks out of a burning bush

[(Early Afternoon - Houseki no Kuni](https://youtu.be/QqkOIrX9KEg))

_"Mmph."_

This time he is face down in the sand, crusting to drool leaking from his mouth. He pushes himself to his knees groggy, like he just had a deep afternoon nap. The sun is wrapping a blanket around him. 

He had a bad dream - that was it - picturing the fishing poles and the statues. A distinct nightmare of Alex and someone else yelling at him. But why is he laying out in the sun with nothing but a tank top and boxers?

His eyes land on the wooden box from his "dream". 

Oh.

"WHAT THE F-" he covers his mouth on instinct, scanning the tree line. Still quiet. Still calm.

"I'm alive … again… This is too weird." Pushing to his feet, he brushes away the grit that he could. Great, another bath was in store. Was it even worth it? He looks out over the ocean, the boundary between earth and sky, witnessing hundreds of fishing poles floating, some already washed up on the beach. Another affirmation. 

"Ungodly amount of fishing poles." he growls "you didn't say anything about … the other … stuff."

Maybe he was hallucinating it. But the operator turned out not to be one…

Whatever. He can't think about it now. Open the box. Yes. Open the box. It pulls at him and he forgets everything else.

**Consume.**

"Huh!" A sound echoes against invisible walls. His pulse thrums to life again. ' _I don't want to be here.'_ Before he could take another step, a sound again. This time he hears it coming, a shrill ring behind his skull.

**EAT. LIVE.**

There's some tug at his wrist, but when he moves, he finds no resistance. He turns back to the fishing poles. Maybe … I can catch something? Yes I should make use of these while I can.

Tucking the box under his shoulder, he pulls a rod out of the water, much taller than himself. The string follows, the same length of the pole. The base has a spike connected to it. 

He appraises the thing like an ornament. He knew jack about what a pole should look like, except that they usually weren't this long, and they reel in with a pulley.

He drags it with him to camp, ignoring the box for the time being. The creek would be a better chance than the ocean. He has actually seen fish there. 

So he does just that, and after hours of trying and failing to get anything on the line itself, he went looking for grubs, digging his hands into the old bark of a fallen tree, picking up the white squirming things. He doesn't like puncturing them on the hook, sticky white worm blood drying to his hands. ' _Sorry Guys'_. To kill one thing, so you can kill another. An odd feeling. But food is food and food is life. He couldn't stand another bucket full of seaweed.

More failures, more frustration. The sky is glowing orange and he still wouldn't be away from the fire in this dark. 

He picks up the spear with strength he doesn't possess, aiming it at the wobbly refraction of a fish. 

' _lower'_ but it was not he who thought. 

Before realizing what he is doing, a fish is impaled on the end of the rod. He can't believe it.

He tries repeating what he had done, feet steady on the creek bed, looking down the pole, and running it forward. He fails this time, but realizes the mistake. _Don't jab. Go through. Past the fish._ And he was successful.

\--- 

([Blending Souls & Shades - Dhafer Youssef)](https://youtu.be/Jw1Y3t1vtzIv)

He sits at the fire, watching the fish smoke, beginning to wonder how he should debone the thing. 

**_It's night_** **.** Jay kicks back and stumbles in the sand, fighting some invisible air monster. 

' _What the hell have I been doing! I've been spaced out all day, it's dark out oh no'_ Left. _'oh no'_ Right ' _oh no'_ Left.

He didn't like the dark. When did he become so afraid of it? Which life or death moment finally pushed him into fear? Or was it everything combined? 

A flood of memories thick in his throat, trying to kill him. Ending him.

He pauses in the sand, water droplets hitting the ground. ' _But it's not raining …'_

It is himself. Tides flooding forward. When did he last cry like this? He's just a small child to this foreign world. Blinking through the tears, he watches the dark forest waiting for death.

But it is all ok. It's bright out. The moon turns the sea into a giant white reflection. He looks up at a thousand stars, it was not dark at all … A glistening ceiling towering over him, but not consuming, not overbearing. Miles and miles of lights floating above him. Salt, leaves, smoke, all of this filling his lungs.

The forest is alive, crickets and wind and owls. All a pale albino in color but alive nonetheless. The fire cracks, embers floating up and away.

And Jay _knows._

_'I'm safe…'_

The thick layer of anxiety bearing on his chest has no hold here anymore. It crumbles, bit by bit, plaster falling away. Away for good. ' _Free me.'_

"Everything is … Fine."

-A week time skip because fuck-

([Coral Reef - Subnautica](https://youtu.be/kEiIHjR8YT0))

It was a rainy one today, but still warm. Jay likes it because it washes him off. He finds a tranquility in his daily duties of boiling water, fishing, cooking, and cleaning, it was the one thing he refuses to give up. With those tasks set aside, he focuses on the wooden box he had pulled up, and the several others.

He had gotten a sunburn from the day he, apparently, washed up on the beach, but it peeled and tanned over in no time. It's a hassle to keep clothes clean, so he mostly moves around in his shorts, or his jacket lazily slung over his shoulders. At home he wouldn't be caught dead with his shirt off, but no bugs or thorns bit and tear at him here. The floor of the van isn't very comfortable anymore, and the same day he decided to move it, a segment of the beach caved in. The initial fall surprised him, but he remembered the detail from before. It was correct, three branching tunnels snake down into the ground, a bit ways inland, but none so far that he can't see the moon light. He checks the areas above them, knocking loose sand in before it can catch him off guard. This provided at least three entrances to the cave. He moves the fire down her as well, smoke flowing out of one entrance - Then his sleeping bag - and packs its underside with copious amounts of willow, creating a suitable nest. The fire is warm enough, he doesn't need a blanket with his clothes on, and he doesn't feel the commonplace fear of exposure.

What is in the wooden box? Yet another map … Detailing another area of the ocean floor. It's gray and dark with a charcoal like substance, but the box had protected it from the water. 

He had dived twice more for more boxes. One had yet another map, but the other held useful little trinkets, scissors, pens. Oh - it made him sore - but he is … stronger now. He can hold his breath much longer, conserving the air he has with careful movements. He isn't a wet sock no longer. The emptiness of the ocean doesn't bother him anymore. Thinking of it, nothing much did. There are fishing rods still, but not in the massive quantities like before. They never try snagging him again.

His eyes adjust quickly to the water. Still fuzzy, but dilated so he could see the structures littering the gravel floor. The beach drops off straight into deep water.

This afternoon he wants to see what the other side has to offer. He had thoroughly explored the woods, but never the beach beyond that of the willow creek delta.

The beach shrinks back here, giving way to a cliff face, almost a straight drop. The waves do not beat aggressively against it though. He balances on the rocks there, water lapping at his makeshift sandals. 

The sea was a lighter blue here, indicating not to be like the sheer drop the other side is. Maybe the island is perched on an ocean shelf?

He sinks himself into the water, quiet ripples echoing as he pushed off. In about 10 meters, he notices the splashes of color beneath him. Sticking his face underneath, he is instantly surrounded by a coral reef. Hes surprised at the clarity in his vision, just like wearing goggles. Colors and textures of every kind bloom in massive ledges around him. Fish of all sorts and sizes swim around, but they're all a blank white against the contrasting scene. Some plants give off light, growing from the sandy ocean floor. He has seen pictures but never … never been _in_ one. All this life, so happy and colorful. A fish gets a bit too close to Jay and puffs up, a big white balloon. He almost snorts his air out under the water. 

He would come up for momentary breaths, diving straight back under to look at the sights. He sees the larger form of another animal floating by in the distance. A shark? No, this didn't move like a shark. Whatever it is, speeds toward him. ' _It's a dolphin.'_ A white dolphin to match every other thing. It gets within a few feet of him and he stops moving as it roves around him with curiosity, probably trying to figure out what he is. It's a beautiful thing, but he doesn't fancy getting to close, so he slowly paddles onward.

Well now this just wouldn't do for the mammal - It follows him around, clicking and buzzing in some unknown language. Even going up with him for air and back down again. It _is_ cute, but more than anything Jay's really getting uncomfortable. The animal is twice his size and a bit rambunctious. But he doesn't make like he's trying to run. ' _Just keep swimming and maybe it will get bored.'_

No. He thought so when it sped off, but moments later his friends are coming back with him. _'Am I going to be murdered by a gang of dolphins?'_ He chortles nervously. 

The sea animals though, apparently, think he is the best thing since sliced bread. "Tag the Jay" is the new game of their unconsenting victim.

Jay has little clue which direction he is swimming in now, trying to avoid the dolphins who keep bumping their sharp snouts into him, before speeding off, expecting him to chase. _'I'm really not interested guys please.'_

Something ahead looks less natural than the coral, and he approaches. The barnacled mast of an old ship, now overgrown in Coral, presides above a wreck. It has decayed mostly by now, vegetation and animals overtaking it like it was just another feature in the land. The dolphins nose him towards it.

 _'Please don't be any skeletons please don't be any skeletons.'_ He prays. 

He takes a peek inside the torn hull. Gosh maybe he really is a pirate now. A few crates lay splintered and opened, but one, small enough for him to pick up, remains generally intact. He doesn't like being in a closed area underwater, and quickly back-pedals out with the box. The dolphins were still waiting, trying to bop him towards the surface for air. 

Soon they lost interest in playing with him, and stay back to following him around as he swims along the reef shelf back towards the island. It seems to head out about a mile or so, curling around a good portion. 

The sky is tinting orange already. He floats on his back. This has become a ritual for the last few nights. He can float out in the water until the stars came out. Far enough out, the water was still, and reflected the sky. It is like he's in space. But not in the daunting cold fear that space likely is.

He's alone. But not _lonely._ Ok maybe a little bit. He hopes he's in a good place. Maybe his disappearance would throw that thing off. Maybe Tim was doing alright now … he hopes. He doesn't remember what happened after he left Tim that voicemail, until getting shot. He heard Tim yelling from somewhere … he must've been close by. How much time had passed? Oh well. It isn't going to help him now. 

Jay backstrokes around the island, closer to his camp, so he won't have to walk too far. He sloshes up the shore, water pouring down in little streams off his shoulders. He shakes his hair out like a wet dog, and wipes his salt parched eyes.

Tan and Black. He stares ahead stuck in his tracks.

_'It's him!'_

ToTheArk stands in an awkward slant, staring straight back at Jay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally kicking this along if you made it this far bless you


	7. And Then There Were Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay gains an ally. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay knows how to attract a dumbass because he is a dumbass. Food.

([Mystic Force - Kevin MacLeod](https://youtu.be/6OM7O-U_lQw))

_'Should I move?'_

Both are frozen in an invisible draw.

Every other attempt to make contact with the person ended in a running spree, and eventually losing him. He belonged to the woods.

Jay reaches a hand out. The man bolts.

 _'Shoot!'_ "Wait!"

Beligning towards the trees, they have no problem vaulting over the bracken. 

_'Not this time bud.'_ Jay is behind him, the foliage only a mild deterrent to him now. But like time, he is gone. Hoodie and all. Jay whirls around in the trees. ' _There's no way, unless he climbed, he's got to be nearby. It was only a few seconds.'_ But scanning the tree tops prove to no avail.

 _"_ Hello?" Maybe negotiations were in order. "I just want to talk!" No reply but the night time air.

' _The van … shoot!'_ He could take the supplies from it. _'Maybe even kill me.'_ But it settled to Jay that he would've died long ago if the hooded man had wanted it. No, he has something else in mind.

Reaching the van, it's alone, nothing disturbed. He locks it. He supposes he could just break the windows, but that would cause too much noise, and "quiet" was 80 percent of his personality, honestly.

' _This island isn't that big, he can't hide forever.'_ He had spooked the man this time, but if he could get closer next time … maybe. Just maybe.

 _'He's in my playing field now.'_ The thought startles Jay, he didn't like it. 

' _Or has he been here the whole time?'_ That is even worse. It meant his senses had been failing him, that while he felt safe he had been watched the whole time. ' _No. I know he wasn't here.'_ Jay has more confidence in himself than ever.

' _Give him the night.'_ Yes, he thought. Wait for the daylight. He can't go anywhere. They'd have to run into each other at some point. 

Just be patient … ' _Yeah right'_ . Jay having patience was equivalent to the phrase "when pigs fly". ' _But hey I bet pigs have flown before in other ways!'_

He isn't going to sleep in the van, cowering away. He would stay in the cave, as he did now every night. He won't back down now, this is his -

What is it? 

He knows the words he wants to say but doesn't have the courage to think of them yet. Not yet.

He had been sleeping with the dusk, rising with the sun. He was quick to adapt when there were no buzzing screens to inspect through the night. He's also rather enjoying not waking with a headache every morning. Even the shadows from his eyes have started to fade.

' _Well … goodnight.'_

  
  


_\---_

Either he slept like a rock or nothing had fiddled with his stuff. No footprints in the sand either. He considers taking an axe with him, but figures with his luck, it would be turned against him. So he chooses the small rusty knife he found in one of his free dives. Perfect for Tetanus. 

He begins his walk in the wooded area, acting normally, 'just looking for plants to eat'. But he knows the eyes follow him. They're deadly quiet, and he doesn't know which direction they peer from, but they're there. A night without water. That couldn't have been great.

He makes a noticeable path before disappearing behind the ridge, out of sight. He's just gonna keep walking this way. He returns to the cliffed side of the island, and sneaks down to the beach. He passes the delta, carefully wading in the strong water.

Jay is now back near the camp, and hiding in the tree fronds, he waits.

Not ten minutes later, movement darts below him in the bushes. He pulls himself further into the twisted vines. No sight. No sound. ' _I'm not here'._

They move fast out onto the sand. Jay notez the way they step, leaving little to no idents.

' _Clever bastard.'_

They take a quick sweeping look, before approaching the van. The light shows a large stain of dried blood on the back of the article.

Jay lowers himself from the tree, so, so carefully. 

They're in the back of the van. Jay sneaks over, willing himself not to make noise. ' _Please let my stupid plan work'._ He nearly presses against the van, but not fully, fearing it will alert the man.

**SLAM.**

Jay turns the key in the deadbolt and locks the car. Looking through the glass, is the bleached red frown, body language reading between 'Seriously'' and "Fuck you'. 

"We need to talk. Look, there's nothing else here we're the only ones!"

 **_Click._ ** The passenger side door bursts open and he bolts out. ' _Damn those automatic locks!'_

Jay is quick to follow, as they storm down the sand.

 _"Stop!"_ Is talking even useful at this point?

Jay is too close for them to make a successful turn into the shrubbery, he continues running down the sand. It's now up to who has the most stamina. Or so Jay thought. They skid to a stop, scaring Jay into putting the breaks on, then kick sand in his eyes.

"AGH!" He spits sand out of his mouth, trying to regain his ground. They've run far enough back to the delta. Jay will stop him here. He knows how to get through the water easily now. In those baggy jeans, the man doesn't stand a chance.

Or so Jay thought. Again.

They show no hesitance and leap onto a jutting boulder in the water. They skip stone to stone like a pro.

' _He_ **_has_ ** _been at this longer than I have...'_ Jay is underestimating him. Five stones out though, the boulder gave way from under him suddenly, and he falls forward, drenched now in the water. They look back at Jay, mask soggy and sticking to their face. ' _So there is a human under there.'_

Jay reaches towards them, and gets a kick to the jaw, wrenching his face up, teeth clacking together, making him cringe. The wet rag gets up, splashing down the creek and running into the willows. Jay isn't done yet though. _'He's going to run out of new places to run soon.'_

The white robins and squirrels are looking from the leaves, wondering what the commotion is all about. A squabbling human getting punched in the nose by his playmate is very amusing. They whistle and chitter in laughter.

_'Oww.'_ A mean right hook hits him straight in the nose, but he keeps stumble-running forward. Tears blur his vision, but it isn't broken like he feared. He swears the animals are laughing at him or something. 

He isn't winded yet like he used to be. He can actually keep up. And for once, he has the home field advantage. The Hooded Man is running straight for the ridge.

' _The crevice._ ' He would corner him there. He doesn't consider the bad idea of cornering a wild animal.

But instead of bracing to turn at the ridge, the man, with no hesitation, jumps. Jay slows to a halt and almost can't believe his eyes. The man scrambles up with little struggle. ' _What is he a rock climber!?'_ Jay stops looking up at the yellow blur, hanging at a 45 degree angle. They look straight down at Jay, before getting past the lip and over the ledge, disappearing again.

Jay huffs, looking left and right. He could go around, find somewhere else to cut him off. But does that matter? Why waste energy on this. He has to come out eventually.

 _'Yeah'_ He thinks _'Just play the waiting game. We'll see him again.'_

Over the next couple days, Jay carries on with the normal activities of fishing and gathering. All the while being watched. He would turn around to lock eyes with the red frown, and they would bolt. But he didn't chase this time. They hadn't tried to get close to Jay's stuff again.

But on the night of the third day, Jay has a plan.

His idea was relatively simple. The man was a good hider but without being able to steal food or water, (at least, that's what Jay presumed he did) he was going to have to get something. His stomach had to be eating away at him. So Jay makes the set up. He starts a fire out from the cave again, smoking fish over it, making sure the smell wafts far. The _real_ waiting game began.

\---

[(Heavy Heart - Kevin MacLeod](https://youtu.be/Pz6in7m-FOE))

It is well after midnight now. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe the man knew exactly how to take care of himself out here. Jay made assumptions based on a few seconds of footage, of the man sitting on a makeshift mattress with water bottles about. Maybe it was just a ploy, Jay wouldn't put it past TTA to do something like that, even if it served some benign benefit. They're probably drinking from the creek water, risking the possible bacteria it carried. Was he really that desperate to keep his distance?

He looks through the flames, focusing past them. Some meters away, standing just out of the lights range, is the unmistakable shadow of the mysterious man. He isn't trying to hide this time. 

' _He knows.'_ He knows what Jay is up to, but it is unavoidable now. He has only two options, go hungry or get closer. Jay wonders what they will choose. So he sits, making no move to chase the silhouette. Another standoff.

They makee the first move, gliding step-by-step over the sand noiselessly. The light reaches the bleach stains, crimson red staring him down framed by the vibrant tan-yellow hood. His shoulders squared forward, back straight.

Jay knows enough now, that this is how he intimidates. You can't get a read off him. But Jay refuses to shrink, arms resting on his knees, calm and still. He never knew if he was trying to help Jay or hinder him. Maybe trying to kill him? Or was it a push in the right direction? But that means little to him now. The hooded one behind TTA is one of the biggest links in this spiraling doom puzzle. _He needs them._

They stop 5 feet from Jay, gloved hands closing at their side. Jay's eyes flicker down as they clench and unclench. _Worry or Anger?_

Jay doesn't see it, but he's hit in the sternum by a human cannonball, knocking him back off the log into the sand, giving him whiplash. He instinctively tries to push them off, but instead his arm was yanked. _Hard._ Like weighing nothing, Jay is turned over, face in the grit, arm wrenched backward and folded against his back. He tries to flail his legs at them but it is too far a reach. 

They rest on his back for a moment, and Jay stops squirming seconds later.

A strange tug at his ear lobe, and the hood is next to his face. They seem to be … peering into his ears? Pulling his ear and checking meticulously they move to the other one. ' _Well this is weird'._ Jay winces when a shrill whistle sounds in his right ear. 

A pair of knuckles lightly tap his skull in different spots. He stays still, intrigued by the whole thing. He is flipped back over. They begin inspecting his hands, pulling at each finger, scrupulosly looking for _something._

Satisfied, the next thing Jay feels is his cheeks are being pulled at, and his mouth is being pried open, but not wrenched. 

"Whaf - air u doin." Jay babbles as gloved fingers search over his teeth like some strange dentist, then under his tongue. Their mask is practically in his mouth, scrutinizing his incisors. _Conk._ A knock to the bridge of his still bruised nose made him hiss in pain. 

His eye lids are forced open, a stinge of nausea whirling in his stomach. They don't touch them though, simply holding them wide open and looking. Another hand comes up next to Jay, making a snapping gesture, and he follows it with his eye. Then the other, as if his eye contains the world's smallest poem and he can't read it.

They jump back off Jay and crouch a few feet away. He sits up, brushing sand off. They kneel with their hands folded, thinking of something.

"Umm…" Jay breaks the nervous tension. He thinks he hears a small huff, before checking their surroundings again. Then they do something he was NOT expecting.

They pluck the black hood, more of a shirt really, looking at it now, to finally show their face. They're scruffy, hair a bit overgrown, and a pair of sunken tired eyes. They don't make eye contact with Jay, and hold a nervous smile. It takes a few seconds, but it clicks. 

"Brian Thomas!?!"

He shakes his hand in a "more or less" fashion. 

He looks around again nervously, and Jay replies.

"I don't think, whatever that thing is, I don't think it's here. I haven't been sick either."

Brian nods. 

"I … I mean I don't know what to ask, if you're not up for sharing, but, you know, everyone thought you were … gone. I don't know what - Alex did."

At the familiar name, he raisez his hand to his head in a little swirl "loopy".

"Can you not … talk?" 

"... _Broken … cannot be fixed_." He say in a shriveling voice. He motions at his throat, tapping there, but Jay can't see anything.

" _So much more than time has been taken_."

"What's … broken?"

" _You will understand."_

Jay doesn't understand. He talks in a monotone like it was written on a teleprompter. Every word comes from … the videos.

"Can you only say certain things?" He takes a gander.

Brian nods enthusiastically, making a motion with his palm, like scribbling.

"I really don't have much writing stuff, I mean I found one pen but good luck getting it to work." He puffs.

"Guess we'll just have to play charades." Brian snickers, just barely making a sound with the air passing through his teeth. 

"Umm .. do you want water or something?" Jay's grasp of social skill is limited. Brian gives a thumbs up. "Ok uh, don't go anywhere … please." Jay stumbles back over the log to the glass bottles stockpiled near the van. He's relieved that Brian hasn't made any move to leave, but instead goes straight to snatch a fish like some wild cat, picking the small bones out from it's ribs.

"Umm I don't want to push my luck, but do you remember anything before you got -" he gesturez "-wherever here is?" 

He freezes up at the questions, either of fear or guilt. After a moment he confirms yes. 

"Oh, I don't know what happened. I was shot and woke up here, I don't know what could've happened in a week's time."

' _No'_ Brian gestures. 

"No what?"

He pulls a twig from the kindling, not wanting to get his hands dirty with sand, and starts writing.

**'3 months'**

"3 months for - wait do you mean me!?!"

He shakes bashfully.

Does that really surprise Jay though?

"I mean … god what happened? What about Tim?"

**'Don't Know.'**

"... Oh." Fear resurges in his gut.

Brian looks genuinely upset, and Jay doesn't want to push the subject on him too hard. He doesn't know how _stable_ Brian actually is currently.

After cleaning through 3 fish bones. Brian stares off into the fire, still crouching in the sand where he wrote. Jay pats the other end of the log "Umm, you can sit here … if you want."

He considers for a minute, then slowly stands. His posture slouches unusually, and he plops himself down with a huff, knee-to-knee with Jay. The sudden proximity startles him but figuring he has no say in this matter, he doesn't mention it.

The taller man then let's his head fall on Jay's shoulder with a thump in an odd resignation. 

Seeing that, Jay doesn't move to get away, he turns to hide his eyes in Jay's shirt. A silent shiver wracks his body, and Jay can feel the warm liquid soaking through. "Uh…" He was never great at this kind of thing. Ignoring the thick brown blood stains, he lifts his arm, giving him time to jump, and when he stays, he loops around and starts lightly rubbing his back. "Hey it's - it's gonna be alright. We'll figure it out " With that, all of the usual tension Brian carries slips away. Jay holds him reassuringly.

Then he begins fully leaning on him, not really caring where they are. "Hey you can't fall asleep out here… come on…" It's like leading a stubborn toddler to bed. "You can, uh, sleep on my sleeping bag you know, I'll manage without." Brian gives a resolute "no" shake. Jay adds more wood to the fire, all the while a nervous grip has a death hold on his wrist. Barely an hour ago the man wouldn't have come anywhere near Jay. Now, it seems he fears _Jay_ disappearing. 

_'How long has he been alone?'_ Jay worries.

He doea let go however to pick and prod at the "nest" Jay had built himself, until he deems it fit. He plants himself down on the edge.

Jay's face reddens "Do you want me to sleep next to you?" He asks with hesitance, but receives an affirming shake.

Jay situates himself on his back, facing the cave ceiling, hands folding on his stomach like he's in a coffin. 

Despite being so close to another person, he feels ..."ok" with it. Brian suddenly flips to face Jay, and wraps himself around the poor man in a vice grip, clinging like a koala with the strength of a boa constrictor. Despite the discomforting squeeze, and possibly restricted breathing, Jay doesn't mind. _He doesn't mind at all_. _Everything is fine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look idk how long Brian's ass been in the woods eating grubs and shit, and running from his own shadow. I think he'd take comfort from anyone safe. 
> 
> Also the reason why he was so thoroughly searching him over will be made clear eventually.


	8. The Egg is my Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone else has joined the game, and Brian isn't happy about it. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Skully's kind of a dick ngl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Splitting up a big chapter into 3 smaller sections to upload every day. I'm working on an animation right now, which is marble Hornets related, but I need to finish it by the end of week.

[(Night - Houseki no Kuni)](https://youtu.be/YC_H7r3CCs4)

Human digits poke at him, spelling into his back.

" **Yes, it is me."** He crackles and whirs in a sound unknown.

' _I missed you.'_ They tap and scrape.

" **I know it took me too long. I'm so sorry. What has that devil done to you."**

' _Cracked my throat. The human feels it too. Hard for him to speak.'_

_"_ **I will serve payment for that. I will do worse."**

' _Tried and failed. Found the problem. Tried to coax other human into acceptance, they are too resistant. He is too strong for them, aren't compatible. Years since he called, when I get there he can't even hold consciousness. The others have left us.'_

" **You've done the best you could. You set the game and played the tricks. I don't know why it is taking so long. Have faith though, he wouldn't choose so blindly. As for the others, I have no theory why they have failed to emerge. However, even this one was difficult, admittedly. I'm surprised at the rate he was going, he didn't descend sooner.. They don't make mankind like they used too."**

' _Others should've come out by now … I was alone.'_

 _"WAS HERE JERK."_ The human echoes.

' _You can't understand us imbecile.'_

_"YES CAN. ENOUGH I KNOW."_

The one who can still speak laughs softly " **He is a fast learner. They're more pliant when you can speak to them in their tongue."**

' _Not when, 'if'.'_

" **Ha ha, come now I managed to learn, did I not?"**

' _Rubbing it in.'_

Brian pushes forward, regaining his movement.

He feels the horrible tension in his throat as he looks at Jay's body crouching a few feet away from him. He gazes back at them with a toothy grin and sly eyes. Not Jay.

" _You. Him."_

"This is easier to understand, no?" He gestures to his mouth.

" _Why."_

"I believe you know why. You've been the only cooperative one. Thank you for that. This has been the plan before, only just now it has begun."

Brian didn't want Jay to have gotten mixed in all of this, He should've died and finally been at peace. He knew it was wrong the moment he found him alive and well, believing he was a rotten shell like Alex had become, but no trace amounts of sickness laid in his skin and veins. If not the operator, of course it was one of _them._

" _Why. Him."_

"Coincidence, compatibility, and maybe some compassion. The egg has cracked. He is reborn anew. A statue to remain for all of time."

It had _saved_ Jay. And in returning the favor, his mortal body has become it's puppet like extrusion. But Brian knows Jay never signed up for this, just like himself years ago, awakening in an endless tangle of mangrove trees to be something less than human.

"He was a bit self-endangering, too anxious, and very sick from that one you call "the operator." I wish we had met sooner, _Brian_ , but for a seemingly flimsy human, this one managed to stave off death for quite a while."

Jay lives on, but by doing so he is lead into a trap. A trap in which _Brian_ had corroborated with his own other self. A plan he believed was for the better. Brian has instead, led him to death _._

"Do not fret, I don't have any ill intentions. You'll find me not as rude as the other." They wink in an uncanny not-Jay way.

" _Why."_

"You know that answer. The same goal you've been pursuing for years now."

_"Why."_

"I don't know what else you want."

" _Wh-"_ He coughs violently, hitting his knees. It feels like a sickle tightening around his throat.

" ** _Look_** \- " the fire blows out in a sudden gail, echoing through the cave extrusions. They edge closer and Brian could just barely make out it's true face.

"This was going to happen eventually. With or without you. He was chosen long ago."

He wants to curse the creature out, knowing this one can at least understand him, scream that it is it's fault, none of them would've ever been like this. They could've lived a normal life and died of old age in some crappy retirement home. But the tight hemp fibers itch around his neck. He knows it isn't really there, but _they_ have been together so long it has become almost seamless.

A shadow grows in the moonlight behind Jay.

"Trust me, you will have your _Justice._ This isn't pleasant for us either."


	9. Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian takes a bath. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Brian's gonna pull a Tim and not say shit for as long as possible.

[(Allada - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/M0FPGOGRD78))

Jay stirs awake to find himself rolled about ten feet from his bed, and even more worrisome - Brian missing. But walking to the surface, he finds him digging through the chest compartments in the van, disguise back on. 

"Hey Bri-" He jumps back.

"Sorry didn't mean to startle you-"

He's tackled to the ground, knocking his air out, being shaken like a rag doll, before fighting back.

"Brian, stop!" He shakes his head. Starting to pace around madly. 

_'That's … not how Brian walks?'_ Why Jay remembers that detail escapes him.

They're holding the plastic mask he had stowed away at the bottom of the clothing pile, then unceremoniously, they throw it at him. It bounces off Jay's chest with a tink. 

"Uhhhh…"

They cross their arms, then walked over to him puzzling. They pick up the mask and push it onto Jay's face. 

" _Mrmph_." He mutters.

They give up pouting, turning their back to Jay. 

Jay studies the mask, but feels nothing. Only the uncanny resemblance to the mask Tim had donned. 

"Do you want me to wear this or something? It's kinda … stuffy. Honestly I don't know how you manage to breathe in that thing."

They're thinking now, apparently, and rise, turning back to him. A gloved hand covers Jay's mouth, and then the other clamps around his nose. After a few seconds Jay tries to back away, but their grip is strong. The struggle begins, only wasting more and more air. Down in the sand his lungs burned.

' _He's going to kill me!'_

**Wait.**

They hop back hands up in surrender, as Jay coughs to catch his breath. Looking up at him, Brian but not Brian - that's what Jay is going with for now - looks like they want to shrink away apologetically. Then with a shiver moving through his body, they tear off the mask, revealing a bewildered Brian, taking stock of the situation. Jay sprawls out on the ground, heaving. 

' _He looks like he's about to cry.'_

"It's ok … I'm fine. I think I understand, well, somewhat?"

Brian pulls him into a tight hug, practically lifting him off the ground. Jay realizes he's spelling letters into his back

' _Sorry.'_

 _"_ It's all good." The last thing he needs is Brian running off again. 

\----

He has convinced Brian into bathing himself, though he seems more than happy too, while Jay is going to try and get the dark stains out of the light colored jacket if it kills him. He has scrubbed at it with the different leaves he learned would "lather" like soap. He could get the dark shade to slowly disperse, but the ring of the again still remains. Mocking him.

But at this point he was going to fray the jacket. It has come along all these years with only fringes beginning to come undone at the cuffs, Jay isn't going to be the one to destroy it.

"Hey Brian, I'm - gonna lay this out to dry-" He says walking over, to notice caked blood on the back of his head that he's trying to wash from his tangled hair. 

"Do you uh … want to cut that? I have some scissors … rusted to hell though."

He nods.

Brian sits still on the bank, eyes closed, almost remorseful, as he trims away at his hair. Jay isn't a barber, but he could at least get it to look normal -ish. Strands falling like snow and land on his shoulder, itchy even after he brushes them off into the stream. 

It's still messy, but much shorter now. Tufts of hair poking up in places, but it works for Brian. Jay rubs it fluffy, receiving a wide, toothy grin.

Jay has been eyeing a large scar on his back for a few minutes now but doesn't want to mention it. But he was caught staring, much to his embarrassment. Brian smiles cornily, and gestures with his hands. It takes a minute of this acting game to understand what he means.

"Alex … impaled you?"

'No.' He shakes.

He makes a swinging motion, and mocks being knocked out.

"There was a tape Alex was hiding, it showed you being knocked out and dragged off … but that was all." 

He points at himself, Opening his eyes, ''Woke up.' 

His fingers scuttle, 'Ran away'

Circle with X, 'That thing'

Stabbing motion, 'Impaled me'.

He draws a shape in the air. A straight line with curves at the end.

"A crowbar?" Brian gave him a thumbs up.

"Umm" - Jay's eyes shifted around - "Oww...."

Brian shrugs.

"But … Why you? It only toyed with the rest of us … why would it do … you know, that."

He retreats into the creek, turning to Jay, and tapping his head.

"I didn't catch that one …" Jay admits.

He taps his head again, then flicks his wrist, wading over to the sand to draw.

'Too smart.' He grins, making finger guns.

"Pfft, alright fair." Jay looks off towards the woods with a blush. It didn't take long for many to become smitten after meeting Brian. But it isn't a strangled feeling this time, like a typical crush. It is … calm. Jay doubts he could hide anything, and Brian seems to have no complaints. Or maybe it is more of a "Screw it we've almost died, who cares what people think" situation.

Brian dunks under the water, washing off what is left of the loose hair strands and old blood. In fact, he seems very careful about touching the back of his head, now that Jay thinks about it.

"Hey Bri." He turns. "Did you hit your head earlier or something?"

He shakes his hand in a "Comme ci, comme ça" gesture.

Tracing in the bank again 'Fell'.

"Geezus what have you been up to?" Realizing the question was kind of dumb. 

He shrugs again.

"Well … at least you didn't murder a guy."

He freezes up at that, but Jay doesn't get the hint.

"What's wrong?"

'You'll know later. I promise.'

"Oh … ok…" ' _Great more secrets._ ' But he trusts Brian. Be it because he is Brian, or because he has no one else to trust right now, Jay does not know. He just wants to trust _somebody._

_'Oh well...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know if Comme ci Comme ca is just a French thing or not, just means "So so" or "Kinda"


	10. Together but Seperate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back on Earth:  
> Tim and someone else escape. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Masky's a fucking dumbass

[(River of Io - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/Gn3AQn1AqVo)

Tim fidgets with the knife, creeping through the doors of Benedict Hall. Waiting anxiously for the fight. He knows there's no way Alex would stop now. Not after all the people he's killed. He wouldn't let it go to waste until he kills _him._

Tim doesn't intend on losing - yet. A cold hate has seeped in his bones. Anyone who made friends with him was doomed to cryptic bullshit and death. 

He's watched the audition tape a dozen times now. Still trying to fathom why his _best friend_ was running around in the woods for years, leading them to answers and death, stealing his medication and generally taunting him. He convinced himself it was all Alex's fault. _Even if it wasn't._ That made him even more angry. He wanted so badly to blame Alex for everything but that fraction of him still knows that Alex hadn't been responsible for everything. And Tim can't do anything about the real problem. He can't end that thing. But dammit - he certainly wants to try.

And then Jay, who was _sick_. Who should've stayed behind. But "should" won't change anything. It's funny really, Tim only now understands Jay perfectly. One man, alone, stepping into the unknown, to try and protect whatever friends he even has left. Because he has nothing better to do. And because … he cared. Whoever said to walk a mile in a man's shoes, was painfully correct. He can certainly feel the loneliness now, light boot falls on the concrete floors, fearfully quiet. He had felt ill down in the basement. If he is going to die, he doesn't want to go how Jay did. _How poetic._

He holds onto that last remaining piece, Jay's knife. He could've got a gun but it makes him feel … weird. That he might turn into Kralie. And what the hell was he going to do when he found him? Kill Alex? He wants to -but facing the music, Tim wonders if he could go through with that action. _Did he have a choice?_

  
  


\---

_The human has finally run out of energy to withstand him. Alqamar awakens to the color red._

_"_ Well well." Dropped on the stair is that one human's knife, the one which had stabbed him months prior. " _Fu~fu_ , how poetic." Perhaps he has done something useful this time? The camera lays fallen down the steps, battery dead.

He turns to see the infected one's body. Long since bled out. 

' _Even worth trying to fix him now?'_ Well, he could at least hide the body. But it reeked of the devil's smell, and he knows it's a trap. He would return to take the body away, and anyone with it. 

' _How sad … we could've used him …'_ He mourns, taking one last look, before fleeing the enclosed area.

' _Where did he hide that mask!?"_ He digs through the trunk of the car, sifting through all of the meddlesome objects humans keel, increasingly nervous by the second. It's night now but - unfortunately - a blood soaked man late at night under a parking lot light would likely be quite a head turner. He gets in the car, trying to rub away the blood, then trying to bathe himself but humans taste awful, like a rusted block of iron.

' _It's been a while … just keep the damn thing straight and we'll be fine.'_ He shifts to neutral and is infuriated that the car only rolls forward slowly. He pulls the stick again. Now pressing the right pedal, it just flies backwards. ' _Ughhhhh … this is too complicated…'_ Finally he has it in the right gear and leaves, with terrible regard for any street signs. Where was the fool even staying … his abode was burned down. ' _Oh well.'_ He makes a sharp turn off into the bank of the road, car rolling into a bunch of bushes. 

_'Good enough'._ He struggles with the door handle for a moment, then just busting the door open anyway. The car's noises began BEEP BEEP BEEP.

"Quiet! The forest sleeps too you know!" He beeps back at it. He has no clue what kind of creature a "car" is, but pressing buttons on the keys seems to always calm it down. He stalks off into the brush, choosing a spot he deems hidden _enough_. He grows tired with each passing moment, knowing his hold is slipping. Finally collapsing under the arches of some bushes, he goes to sleep.

\---

' _Not again.'_ Tim awakes in the forest. "At least I'm not in jail yet."

He's sure police would've come looking for him by now, would've easily found him, but it is all quiet.

' _That thing probably took Alex just like the others.'_

He finds his car, rolled off the side of the dirt road. The blood has been wiped haphazardly off with one of his shirts - apparently. He takes more of his medication which just proves less effective nowadays.

After driving for a while, past at least 3 police cars, getting no reaction, Tim decides he isn't being looked for. 

He is going to find Jessica first. Then upload the rest of the footage to the YouTube channel. From there … he isn't sure. He just knows he has to go away. Far away from here, from Rosswood, from every sight and sound that reminded him of what had been, and makes him think of what could've been. This is it. It'e over. Whether he perishes or not, he refuses to keep going with this twisted narrative. He would vanish like the others had.

Did he really _want_ a normal life after all of this? He always thought he wanted one. But this ending was … unsatisfying. He will never be able to fully pretend like he has a normal, peaceful life after all of it. Like Jay had said "I don't know what we're going to do if we come out on top."

"Well Jay … at least you don't have to go back to sitting around apartments." Tim smiles sadly.

Was it selfish to wish for that, just so Jay would be alive? Bored, but alive. He can't think about it for long. If anything good comes from this, at least Brian is able to get some kind of peace … hopefully. Tim doesn't know how far gone his mind had been to cause him to act the way he did. To rest. To sleep. It sounds nice. But not yet. Tim doesn't want to leave Jessica behind without anyone to call for help. Tim might be the last one alive, that knows how to fend off that _thing._ It would be back. If not for him, then someone else. "Pfft … I am turning into you Jay … doing all of this in the hopes you can save a bunch of strangers on the internet one day. So no one has to do it ever again …" 

Maybe he should … look for their parents. Could he look them in the eye and tell him their children were dead? How would they react? His mother wasn't the best example, but he knows there are still people who had beloved parents. Or would he have to lie, tell them he is a friend of there's and is trying to look for them, all the while knowing they were gone.

He obviously can't tell them why they died. They'd probably think Tim had something to do with it in the first place. _Which he did_. Maybe he could write them … no … no he had to find them in person - or not at all. No In-betweens.

\---

_It was laughing at him in that awful graveling voice. It had succeeded in what it wanted. Another one down and captured. It pissed him off. He always gloated in his victories. Now … there were two left. None reliable. If he wasn't so sick he could get a grip and destroy them with his own power. He feared too much time had been wasted already though. The woman was the last ditch effort. Yes, get ahold of Aietidal. But this raging man refused him. Refused to let him know where she was hiding. The time they had shared together, this human knew how to block him out. Foolish, he still couldn't comprehend they were on the same side._

_He wanted to scream at him "LEAD ME TO HER" but the human couldn't understand his blaring and static frequency._

_Alnnasik, Eadala, and Helena. Two hadn't even emerged and Eadala was … he knew the truth but didn't want to believe it. Their vessels are dead and taken. Aietidal is the only other left._

_\---_

Tim says his goodbyes, pushing off Jessica's concerns as he enters another coughing fit. It had brought him to his knees a moment before, but he wills himself back up, getting in his car. He feels bad leaving her clueless like this but he needs to leave, quickly. The other screeching sound in his head has begun. Not the static of the operator, but the whirling and whooping sirens he hears when … whatever his masked self was … is trying to push through. He never is sure if it was schizophrenia causing this. He thinks the doctors landed on it just to give some kind of diagnoses. Something real that they could treat. 

Besides high doses of his medicine, nothing could treat _this._ Shit maybe he needs an exorcist. After seeing a tall faceless egg-head ruin his life, and finding out that it is in fact real and not a hallucination, an exorcist doesn't seem that crazy anymore.

Whatever was going on, he got the sense it's because of Jessica. That if he stay$ near her longer he won't remember his next actions. She is finally doing better, and he isn't going to let his stupid disorders mess with that.

But he wonderes, illy, ' _What part is a disorder and what … isn't.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight their names are based on Arabic Tarot symbols corresponding with tarot cards that match their current motivations or paths
> 
> Hoodie is "Eadala", Brian is Justice (Eadala will bring justice, but via any means necessary, Brian wants to avenge his friends.)
> 
> Skully is "Alnnasik", Jay is The Hermit (walking a path with only a lantern to see the next few steps, regardless of the uncertainty, he moves forward with a wealth of knowledge and what tools he possesses. Jay has to look inward.)
> 
> Masky is "Alqamar", Tim is The Moon (both must look into their subconcious if they're ever to cooperate. They are tame and wild at the same time.)
> 
> Jessica is a vessel to "Aietidal", but for some reason, they have not shown themselves. 
> 
> "Helena" also had a vessel, and failed to appear
> 
> The operator is "Harut" or "The Tower" (stuck in a constant loop, hunting and consuming And dragiing other in with it.) They are a fallen angel.


	11. Where do we go? When we dream?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay and Brian weather a storm. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Rain go brrrrrr

[(Breather - Houseki no Kuni)](https://youtu.be/faRJsTDTsLI)

Both men sit in their boxers, afloat on the log.

Brian eyes the water skeptically as Jay submerges into the ocean.

"Don't worry." He reassures. He glides effortlessly. "I've done it a few times now. It's safe."

' _Sure'_ says Brian's face. Jay learns if he hyper ventilates for a moment, he can buy about thirty more seconds under the water.

He gives Brian a thumbs up and dives under for a test run. His eyes are becoming well adjusted to the water by now. He spends more time in water than on dry land. Out here he doesn't have to feel the weight of his body, just his mind.

He lets himself drift with the sun's rays. This part is only about 8 meters down to a sandy bottom. He really hasn't worked the courage to go back to the "gravel pits". Fishing rods pile up on the shoreline like driftwood. He'd try and make use of the string, but as of now, it's plentiful.

Yes, there is definitely a stone structure, partially submerged in the sand. He pops up, taking a few quick, deep breaths before sinking under. He reaches the roof of the relic, gripping a pipe like structure, pulling himself inside the space. It's clear, except for a vibrant red cloth, growing with algae. It isn't heavy, so he grabs the bundle. He fedls content to just float in the ocean for a minute. He doesn't feel the burn these days, just a silent cue for air. He can see perfectly too. Looking out into the blue, there are tens, maybe even hundreds of structures. Ruins to something left behind … but they aren't that old, like a more concrete version of Benedict Hall. He notices Brian shifting at the surface, worryingly, and he returnes.

On the beach, he carefully cuts the sinews binding the package, and unwraps it.

They both look at it quizzically.

"Is that a … human bone? Or just a bone bone?"

Brian gave him a "really?" look, before writing in the sand. **"What is a "bone bone" supposed to be?"**

"A not-human bone obviously!"

If it was human, it kind of looks like a femur. The sides are intricately cut with symbols and dots.

"YEAH MORE CODE!" Jay jumps, scaring Brian.

He cleans it off, laying it to dry in the sun. Except it would not dry in time. The day moves forward as Jay tries to cipher the code, scratching out all the futile answers. He is engrossed in it and doesn't see Brian wander off. A wind picks up, and he notices black clouds in the distance.

He decides to take a break, moving the bone inside the van, fiddling with the compartments. He ejects the radio, and a CD pops out. It's old and dusty, but still in mint condition. Too bad the battery is fried. Some music would be neat.

There were the peeling bark of some dogwoods, which he could pull off in thick strips for kindling, maybe bedding.

There were the sticky buds on the magnolia trees, waiting to blossom, free of any bugs or holes.

There were white puffs, seeds floating through the air, causing him to sneeze, but just once.

There were the small puddles from the waterfall, collecting on the rocks, each drop letting a flurry of bubbles out, before they pop at the surface. 

There were the bleach white animals, which he never sees eat, never sees sleep.

There was the owl, that night, he had been wandering through the trees, not really sure why. He felt like he was being watched, and coming to a still, he looked up. On the branch above, it hopped, gliding a few feet to the next branch with absolute peace and silence. They weren't exaggerating in the books. Then it looked at him with starry eyes, pupils dilating to stare right back at him. It bobbed it's head, before flying off again. 

There was the lapping at the side of his face, as he floats in the creek. Eyes drooping slowly as he begins to sink beneath the tepid water. Before his eyes fully close, a loud splash jolts him back up. Brian is watching him and has stepped in, holding out a hand. 

The sky is getting dark with thunder clouds and sundown. He takes the helping hand, and they go back to the cave.

It starts pouring as they run. Jay is laughing, and Bryan wheezes the best he can.

Just in case, Jay moves his little camp up onto a tall cave shelf, just wide enough for the fire and them. He really doesn't want to awaken to a flood trapping them or carrying them out to sea.

The sky wracks with lightning, thunder making the ground shake, echoing through the cave with howling wind. Like a strange opera, it sings by, with the barrage of a thousand drums.

It's a bit of a squeeze but is no problem really. He tries laying flat on his back, but is curled flush against Brian's chest with a death grip. It's unceremonious but his energy for complaining had left him some weeks before. 

Fingers thrum up his spine like he is some kind of keyboard, poking gently at the divots between vertebrae. It tickles a lot, causing him to give a half-asleep, playful shove. Following a gentle pattern, Brian begins to whistle, the most noise he can make with damaged vocal cords.

He feels a hot puff, followed by a hoarse sound, barely a whistle of air. _"Just wait until we're alone together.Then I will tell you something new, something cold, something sleepy, something of cease and of peace on the long bright curve of space. Banish them - refuse to speak, leave them. Go upstairs to your room. I will be waiting for you. I will surround your bed. Close the windows so that none will never again be able to enter~"_ He recognizes the words, but muttered aloud, it sounds like a strange, melancholy lullaby.

He awakens briefly some time during the night. Not enough to open his eyes, but able to feel. Shared heat in a nest of thick heavy quilts, it was something he had never had but wanted to cling to forever. It pulled him back into sleep faster than any medicine ever could. Pulled the energy from his bones so he was subjected to the will of rest. Slipping into unconsciousness, he barely registers his fingers twitching to entwine with those of the other.

[(Classic Horror 1 - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/_kvnYN8AqwM)

He dreams this time. He is laying on blue pavement, somewhere wet and dark and _alone._ Firelight dances next to him, but he cannot move. He is stuck staring at the ceiling. A silhouette above him, shrouded in the darkness, raises a bat. His heart beat thrums loudly and he still cannot move. The bat comes down shattering his face like a porcelain doll.

He wakes up screaming. Brian is shaking him, knuckles rubbing sharply into his sternum. The storm has returned full force, water pouring into the cave, but nowhere near high enough to threaten them. Something else is causing Brian to panic. He wills his arm up, but it is stolen back, body ignoring the adrenaline again as he plunges back into darkness. 

This time he is drowning, but not just anywhere. He knows - just somehow knows - this is where Tim's footage had come from. He is curved backwards, awkwardly, and is staring at his own reflection on the surface. But it is that _mask_. The skull grinning right back at him. He can see through to his own eyes, staring wide. He wanted to breathe but didn't need to. A black hood surrounds his head, and a thick jacket, jeans, and boots, weigh him down just beneath the glass.

But there is something, now, behind the reflection. He is dragged by the neck, breaking the surface. His side hurts.

"WHO ARE YOU!" Someone shouts.

"WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?! WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME!?" 

" _Tim?"_ He gasps weekly, but his lungs are full of lead. He cann't focus to see a face, but Tim or not, it startles them and he is dropped backwards into the creek.

Jay finally awakes to water flooding the cave floor below, Brian missing. He makes his way through the foot deep water. Outside on the beach, it is still storming but early dawn light illuminated the scene.

The people were back. Stone faces lining the sand. Lightning illuminating their chilling stare. They don't touch Jay as he moves between them, keeping his distance and wanting to get the hell away from here and wherever Brian was. 

The sound of stone breaking draws his attention. There. In faint light he can see a normal silhouette. He calls out, and he turns to look at him, the cloth is partially over his face, covering his mouth. But his eyes turn to fix Jay with a fearful, yet steady glare. With a crowbar, he is desperately smashing at the heads of the statues, crumbling them to bits. They're over running him, and he is already hooked by fishing lines, sprouting up from the sand to constrict him.

Jay runs towards him, pushing statues over like dominoes but he crashes into a wall of them, prepares for his assault. They don't fall. Brian's weapon is caught by line, forcing him to play tug of war, before a harpoon comes flying through the air to go through his torso, anchoring him to the spot.

"BRIAN!" Jay wrestles with the statues, but they keep catching at his clothing, preventing him from making any ground. 

Brian wraps his hand around the pole through his midsection but it is much too long. Blood seeps through the jacket Jay has just cleaned for him. More and more of the tensile string tightens around every inch, cutting into his skin. He is immobilized.

 **"STOP!"** He screams out, louder than he has ever spoken in his life.

The fishermen shatter to dust, along with the fishing line and harpoons they carry.

Jay goes to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Owl thing really did happen to me when I was 9, left a big impression on me
> 
> Btw the tape is literally just a Chirp by C418 gag


	12. His Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim goes for a "nature walk". (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay cannot not avoid getting multiple concussions because he's a fucki- actually this is Alna's fault

[(Leaving Home - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/IFY_R4_es8Q))

He's only been gone two _weeks._ He'd thrown the mask away and left Alabama behind. That thing hasn't shown its face … _but he is still being watched_. He knows it, can almost feel the burn of eyes on the back of his head outside the beat up country house he's renting. He has a mattress, a ceiling fan, kitchen and bathroom and whatever is left in his car, but that is alright.

He hates the empty fields though. No matter how far he goes it still looks like Rosswood is right around the corner.

But at least here he has an actual job. They are in a desperate need apparently, asking him to start asap. Whatever, he has health insurance with this at least.

He is going to have to get his affairs in order soon. All of his documents had gone up in flames, and all the money he had left was from the house insurance. ' _At least there's that.'_

He is sitting on the porch, knees shifting on the gritty sidewalk and overgrown grass. Mentally noting what papers he needs replaced, really not wanting to go to jail on top of it all. He'd been driving with outdated stickers as well, last thing he needs is a ticket.

Picking up the pieces after everything is gone - Some people would see it as a chance to move forward, a restart on life. But that doesn't matter to him now. He just wants somewhere to eat and rest his head. He can't see himself doing more. He is alright here. Bored. But boredom means safety.

There it is again - That feeling. Sometimes if he sits and waits long enough it would go away. 500 yards out is a line of trees. He can't see anything at this distance, but he believes that's where it is coming from. It's a warm Saturday afternoon. He doesn't have work until Sunday night ….

' _Screw it'._ He honestly prefers this to bumming around and smoking cigarettes all day.

He begins walking across the corn fields, stalks just coming up to his shoulders this time of year, before he can talk himself out of it. He didn't bring the camera. He doesn't want to film anymore, doesn't want to give incentive to those stalking him. 

The woods, while eerily familiar, aren't so thick with brush like Rosswood had been, trees farther apart and dense. Some of last year's autumn leaves still mat the ground, smelling of sweet rain mixed with rot. It is terribly hilly though, land rising and falling in tiny hills and crevices. Some sizable boulders even left channels in their wake, having been pushed there thousands of years ago by glaciers, the trunks of fall trees acting like hand railings as he skids down the slopes. 

To the right. Tim instinctively ducks down in one of the shallow dugouts. Peering over it, he can see movement in the trees. He moves swiftly and carefully, ducking behind trunks, and doing his best not to make noise, even forgetting to breathe for a few seconds.

Yellow-tan Hoodie and blue jeans. His heart lets out a loud beat shaking him to his knees. ' _It can't be, there's no way. It's just someone wearing similar clothes.'_ But then they turn around to look at Tim with the bleached red frown _._

He's never jumped up so fast in his life, now in pursuit. "BRIAN!" No response.

' _Brian is gone'_ \- he reminds himself - ' _he's just an empty walking shell.'_

_'Don't let him get away this time.'_

_'He can't be alive I - killed him. Alex killed him.'_

He is snared. ' _what!?'_ He is sure he'd been watching his footing. The hooded man stops just out of his reach. Something is caught around his ankle, holding him to the spot. He kicks at it, then reaches back. It is a silver wire. He tries untying it but can't get the knot to budge. Ripping it isn't working either, tensile steel. Noticing the man, he grabs at him, but his fingers swipe at air. 

Adrenaline turns to anger, feeling like the man is wearing a grin behind the mask.

\---

He steps away, appreciative he doesn't have to keep running. He didn't think it would be as easy as setting a trap. He wants to tell The Timothy to stop writhing like an idiot and scraping himself up, but unfortunately Alna hasn't let him bring a metal pipe. That always took care of the problem a lot faster than 'talking.'

Alna doesn't come out from hiding yet, but he knows he is being watched.

' _What now?'_ He quirks. The human stops struggling to try and notice what he is saying.

The whistling crackle replies **"I honestly don't know I didn't think we'd get this far."**

_'When will he come back?'_

**"No idea. I see why he was problematic for you …"**

' _There's another, but only spoke words through videos. Never showed.'_

**"Really? … hmm."**

\---

Tim goes still, internally yelling at his heart to quiet down. 'Brian' keeps making signs with his hand, but it isn't sign language. More importantly, he seems to be speaking to someone else. A light chirping sound, like crickets and birds, emanates from some corner of the woods.

Then they tap at their head, and weave away through the trees.

"HEY! WE'RE NOT DONE HERE! WAIT!" He tries now tearing at the wire with his teeth, noticing it is coming from a tree branch. Maybe he could …

He tries leaning all his weight away from it, but the branch isn't snapping.

"It's not coming off, it's dangerous to wander in the woods alone. Especially ones you don't know." 

He freezes, a cornered animal. The voice is flinchingly familiar, but too lively, reverbing oddly in the open air.

"Now, we're going to sit here patiently until he arrives."

Tim panicks, thrashing his leg, until he pulls his ankle too hard. 

"Oh, apologies. I don't mean that thing. No, no enemies. We're friends in this, yes?"

' _Then who.'_ Tim turns noticing a blotch in the corner of his eye. Up In the tree. A crudely drawn skull mask staring at him. He an lightly see eyes behind the mask, but it is too shadowed over to know them. They slowly, like some curious cat, back their way down the tree.

Scared but intrigued he thinks ' _At least this one talks …'_

They crouch, leaning forward on bent knees, just a safe enough distance. 

"Really though you're doing yourself wrong being out here with nothing to protect yourself, hmm?" The head gestures to the side.

"..." He has so many questions, wants so many answers, but instead decides to glare at him in silence.

"Oh you poor thing. Born into such a confusing circumstance --- you know I never did learn that name of yours."

"Yeah you can go fuck all kinds of off."

"I can see why he picked you, _fu~fu."_ Their hands fidget. Nevermind - Tim absolutely hates his voice and wants to punch him in the jaw so he'd bite his tongue. 

"I don't know who you're talking about, and that's just plain creepy." 

They shuffle around in their coat pocket.

"Does this - how do they say - 'ring a bell?'"

' _No.'_ He holds up a mask identical to the one he threw out.

He boils over in anger. "Leave me alone! Everyone else is dead? Are you happy yet? What else could you possibly want from me!" 

They twist up suddenly in either rage or agony - Tim can't tell "I am _far_ from happy. How … **MANY**." They squeak a whistle out that admittedly makes Tim's bones cold, fingers twitching in repressed rage. 

Then they calm down like it hadn't happened. "Maybe it works better if you're asleep?"

Tim understands now, at least partially. "You're not turning me into - whatever I am with that lookalike dollar store mask, I'm not crawling around the woods with you cryptics anymore so you can give it up!" 

"Look-uh-like?" They seem confused. "Oh. No friend, this is the original. Dumpster diving is a big waste of my time you know, but I've brought it safely back to you."

"I don't want it, and I'm certainly not your friend!" 

" _You will be. Maybe."_ They huff "Besides, you're going to want this so Mr. Cuddles doesn't try and mind-rape you."

Is he cracking a joke? "What?"

"He doesn't think you're human with the mask on, that's why we wear them. Only a slight deterrent though ...still wants to kill us…."

"Good lot of help its done. You … ToTheArk … you've been so, _so_ helpful with your bullshit." 

"Is that sarcasm?" 

"YES YOU'RE ALL DOUCHEBAGS AND MURDERERS!"

"You are entirely correct." Tim waits for the 'but', though it was only met with silence.

"You're not going to deny it?" He asked, tone lowering a bit, tired of shouting.

"No, I am a giant ass. He really hasn't tried talking to you at all … ugh he's an even bigger ass it doesn't surprise me." 

"Who is he?"

"I think you know … but also don't know. Whatever, maybe it will work better if you're out of it."

Before Tim can think about punching them, they lean into his space, yet in a non-threatening manner. Their hands reach for his face.

"Don't touch me! Get your hands - off!" He keeps backing his face away avoiding the vinyl gloves. "I will BITE your hand off!" 

And Tim does just that, finally having given enough warnings, he chomps a few fingers, clenching his jaw down like he can bite through the glove. 

They don't yelp, or move back in pain, but beneath, blood pools inside the gloves, making its way through the thread stitches. The moment Tim tastes it, he immediately let go, spitting over and over onto the ground.

"Ouch…"

Hands clap the sides of his face, disorienting him for a moment, before the forehead of the mask is pressed to his own.

They sit like this for a moment. Tim is getting uncomfortable but his earlier resistance has vanished. Eyes behind the mask are closed in contemplation. This close, he can feel the tickle of the mask when the person speaks.

"You're a lucky one, Timothy Wright."

He is stuck in place. A hand has slinked behind him, pulling the orange pill container out of his pockets.

"Hmm … you're medications … interesting. They've done so much to thwart that thing, but also have impeded us. You're friend Brian however, he took so many, the other built quite an immunity. Still effective against egghead though. Impressive, such a small thing." They shake it in front of his eyes, snapping him back to reality, he swipes out again, but his wrist is caught and held in an unbudging grip. He is motionless again.

"You've taken so many of these … yes, and everytime you start getting sick you've had to take more and more. How much is it now? The whole bottle to thwart off ill effects? A mountain of pills." A thumb is placed between his brows, smoothing away the furrow. 

"But that's not why he is having such a hard time getting through to you. Something else then?"

He blinks and they are behind him, nimble fingers digging into his shoulders. Not wanting to, Tim slouches forward at the nice pressure before collapsing back on the ground. His eyes narrow like a window, seeing the tree tops and the mask peering down at him in tunnel vision.

"See, see, adult humans are just overgrown angry babies. You torture your mind instead of taking a nap! Is that not a core survival skill amongst all creatures? Aw sleep, the great equalizer."

"Screwwww yooouuu." He feels drunk, hating how his voice sounds.

The feeling of nausea and panic returns to him, but his limbs won't move, feeling ill, starting to drip with sweat. He barely registeres a hand over his chest.

" _That's why_. Your soul is on the verge of corruption. It's too dangerous for him to come back…"

"It's not that big of a problem though … it can be fixed." Once the hand is gone, the feeling of illness flows away.

He isn't appreciative of how handsy this guy is. It pisses him off. The heel of a palm is pressed gently to his forehead.

The anger blasts sharply. He can't think of why but he **HATES** them. He hates everything. Everything. Everything.

He bends the arm with rage away from him, throwing them to the side. "Eh?" They yelp.

Jay's knife. In his boot. He has it out in a moment and pulls the line taught, finding satisfaction when it cuts.

They stare at him eyes wide. "Whoops." 

They go to block but Tim lands his mean right hook to their abdomen. They screech and Tim feels nothing _._

Alnnasik clutches his side and stumbles back into a run, the hit already exasperating the wound, which had started digressing since they'd arrived back on earth. 

Tim is too close. He tackles them to the ground, hating their guts. They roll down a short slope, and their head smacks against a boulder, too dazed to react in time. 

And Tim.

He is going to kill every last one of them like -

like Alex.

 _'What am I doing?'_ He drops the knife next to them. The unbridled hatred had come and gone just as quickly.

He drags them up to their feet by the jacket collar, buttons snapping apart at the very top.

"WHO ARE YOU!" He bites back the pain strangling his throat. The person starts coughing, hacking into the mask.

"WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!?! WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME!?" He pleads more than yells.

Through the dark holes, he sees their eyes regain focus, trying to meet his.

" _Tim?"_

' _No.'_ He tears off the mask.

' _Jay.'_ " _Jay_?" He whispers, afraid to move, afraid this isn't real but he can hear his heart hammering and he knows he is alive.

"My head hurts."

' _Shit'_ He's injured him in the fray.

His eyes dilate back again.

"My head hurts."

"JAY!" He screams, wrapping him in a desperate hug. He squeezes the air out of the poor man, chin digging into his shoulder. He hiccups with the pent up grief trapped in his lungs.

"Where's Brian. Brian." 

Tim gulps. It had been 7 months … how much has his brain been fried in that time? Where the hell was he? 

"Brian's not here right now, bud. Look, my house isn't that far from here, can you walk? I'll help you. Jay, can you hear me?"

"Call them off. Brian needs help. Call them off. Call them off."

His best friends name spoken aloud is like a pin to the heart. 

"We'll … we'll find Brian later, we've got to go."

"No no no. Trouble. Trouble. Trouble." 

Red begins leaking from his mouth.

"Oh god…" The spot in his abdomen is rupturing slowly. He takes most of Jay's wait on his shoulder, mostly dragging the poor man.

"Can't stay, Can't stay here. Got to go back. To much time." 

"Hang on Jay." 

"Sorry Tim. I'm sorry."

"Hey hey don't worry about that right -"

A small nick to his hand catches him off guard.

Jay had slashed him with the knife. ' _When did he get the knife?!?'_

Lively again, he sprints as soon as Tim let go.

"Jay! Stop! Wait!"

_'Not again … I refuse to do this again. He's slipping right through my fingers.'_

Jay is wobbling by the time he approaches the creek, quickly sloshing into the water. But this is enough for Tim to catch up, snagging him by the leg and jacket.

"Tim … you have to let go of me…" 

"No, Jay no we're going to a hospital right now you need help."

"Tim you can't fix this." Jay means it all literally, but Tim, still stuck in a daze, believes it to be figurative.

The wound is reopening at his side. **Time's up.**

" _Please."_

A strong kick lands steel toed boots on the joint of his wrist.

"AGH!" He lets out a high pitched scream, His left hand falls off Jay's leg, bent awkwardly, beating in a sharp pain. But his right still holds onto the bottom of the jacket in desperation. Then, he loses his footing, pebbles slipping as they both fall into the creek. Tim pops back up, tugging at the jacket, but the owner is gone. 

"JAY!" He thrashes around but no one else is floating up. 

He couldn't have been swept away! It's only a few feet deep! 

"JAY!?!" He pushes through the water, trying to feel around for anything, but is met only by sharp rocks, cutting at his remaining palm. Everything but the jacket he holds is gone. The mask, the knife, and _Jay_.

His own white mask floated by, bobbing down the river, and this time he reaches out for it .

He keeps searching the river bed, praying Jay hasn't drowned in the shallow waters.

He crawls to shore, falling to his hands and knees as water drips out and off of his clothes.

 _'We had him! We actually had him and we lost him again!'_ He can't take this.

" _Please *hic* please come back."_ He cries, whispering unfeasible hopes like he is a child again, only fueling his self-hatred.

He walked down stream for a few hours, scanning the surface, before it became too dark to see the bottom anymore. He is exhausted and hopeless so he leaves the woods, looking back one more time, then crossing across the field, the sun gone when he gets inside with the soaked jacket. Even through closed walls, the crickets outside are almost deafening.

He searches thoroughly through the pockets of the jacket. Nothing but a waterlogged flashlight and a … deer antler. _'What was he going to do with this? Stab me?'_

Tim sits in his wet clothes on the kitchen floor, until he shivers from the cold. He makes the effort to get up and take a shower.

It is the only place he would let himself cry freely.

That night, his dreams give him some mercy. All of them, together, before this all started.


	13. You are you, but who are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay wakes up. Again again. (Updated)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay you gotta stop drinking man

[(Prelude - Angel's Egg](https://youtu.be/JCwz5lxoRIU))

Jay wakes up on the beach. He notices the strange clothing because of how it sticks to his skin like thick wet eels.

Something is over his face, wet sand spilling in little windows.

"Blegh! Yuck!" He spits salty grit from his mouth, sitting up to remove what is over his head. His heart jumps a bit, realizing it is the grinning, skull-like mask, which he'd stowed back in the van again. _'Apparently not.'_

Coming around water-logged on the shore isn't really surprising anymore. He swears he had some really odd dream, but it had faded, all except the negative clutching feeling taking hold in his chest.

Maybe then, or was it before, he notices the sand is dark sullen gray, and tastes like thick iron. No this isn't the beach, the stuff in his mouth is not sand, but steel dust. 

There is an abandoned city dotting a grey skyline, blue dirt and blue brick. All dark and dreary. The waves lap at his heels.

_'No, I don't want to be here. Not here. Not now.'_

He doesn't understand the feeling, but it is a bad one at that, and he backs up into the ocean.

The only sign of life is white gulls, circling above him in an arc. 

Maybe he is going crazy - or crazier, but he has an inkling feeling at the back of his neck.

"Can you … take me somewhere else?" He spdaks to the wind. The birds. The sky. The ground. The water. The waves come down harder, each draw out to sea tugging at his legs. He's forced to step back with it. Step by step and the water climbs and climbs. A patient, calming cold that reaches every nook and cranny. Like when he would throw cold water on his face, to clear his head.

Yes. Clear his head. 

He takes a breath in his nose, before he goes under. ' _Yes … I'm definitely insane.'_ He holds his eyes shut and floats loosely in the current. Soon nothing pulls at him and he's just suspended in the water. In the dark. The burn for air doesn't come. It really does feel like there is a hole in his head, water flowing from one side, to the other. ' _sleepy…'_

His toe hits sand, and he kicks forward, pulling himself on the sand bar. He weighs a million pounds but still lugs himself forward. 

\---

Brian sits on the sand, surrounded by the annoying stone statues. They don't try anything on him anymore, but still will not let him leave the circle they had him in.

He is really getting tired of this … oh who is he kidding he was tired of it when Alex smacked him upside the head with a pipe. Everything after that - a near meaningless existence. His only use was being a walking shell. And yet, he stayed awake every moment of it. He had a gist of what his other "half" was trying to accomplish, and went along for the ride. But they only talked in screeching buzzes and fragmented letters, because dumbass was illiterate and just hoped someone would be able to read his words on earth. And then all their other time was spent in that - mangrove swamp. He hated it there. Stop thinking about it, you'll upset yourself.

His other half had come back from whatever mission he was on. He can remember, these days, what usually happens. They, and the one behind Jay's head, went to earth. He was happy to see Tim alive, although he looked worse than ever before. They weren't in Alabama when they arrived. He'd either run from Alex or … ended it. ' _At Least he thought he ended it.'_ No. It wasn't over yet. Maybe Alex had once vainly hoped if they all died it would stop but it _never stops._ The only thing that changed was the playing field, and the team of the players.

They'd set some trap for Tim, but his time was running out, the old wounds returning at the back of his head, and through his chest, an irritation he couldn't scratch, and he headed back to the safety net that was this small little pocket dimension. 

_'Jay's.'_ It was much better than the endless swamp that had threatened to fall out from his fingers at any moment, after they'd gotten to, to close, and that thing had broken its neck. Not his own but he could still feel the strain of mangled vocal cords. It wasn't like the head wound, the impalement, the cuttings and stabs. This was permanent. A crack along his neck, light seeping out.

At least the sand here is solid. He can sleep without the fear of falling into an endless void, both of them having to claw their way out with no map.

'Jay' had come back late though. Brian noticed the wound in his side had oozed a bit before he returned to safety. That apparently triggered … whatever "this" was. He had woken to Jay back by his side, but with the water filling the cave, so did statues, popping up from the waves. He tried to wake Jay but something was wrong. Yes, it was the wound. He was still healing up again. _'Dammit'_ That irresponsible fool would get Jay killed … again.

So, as the memories floods back, he swung at them with an axe. But the statues refused to crumble. They surrounded him like he was their prey, ensnaring and barbing him. Before finally _, finally,_ he looked to see Jay semi-aware, yelling for the things to stop, before collapsing into the ocean. And they did. That's when Brian made the correlation. They listen to him, apparently. They had stopped their assault, releasing him the wire and barb.

He is pissed, for the next hour or so, he can only lay there as the wound seals itself back up. The statues have built a circular wall around him and won't let him pass, leaving him sitting there to contemplate life choices yet again.

He feels that familiar itch, the boiling anger that would make him dizzy standing up. He really wants to just smash them into dust. Break. Break them. It hurts his head and makes him feel exhausted and feverish. 

He takes a deep breath.

"Hey!" Get away from him!"

The statues don't budge, but Brian peers between their legs, seeing Jay running towards them. His shirt is still stained, but from the looks of it, he has healed over again. 

Jay stops, before charging at one rock, wrapping his limbs around it, trying to climb over its back. He falls off, and tries to slip under, but that is too tight. Brian watches with a humorous glint. 

Another attempt to climb the thing and it's head breaks off, falling to the sand. _Plunk._

"Eh… don't worry Brian I'll figure something out."

He tries to push them apart, and they step out of his way. Jay falls with an oof.

"Brian! Are you alright?!" Jay comes to grab both his shoulders, looking at him. He nods smiling. 

Once he makes contact, the one broken statue crumbles into dust. The others just stare.

Brian points at Jay, then the statues, but he doesn't get the message.

"Go - go away!" He yells feebly, but to his surprise, they do, backing up one by one down the beach, into the water.

"I think they're just … made of shale or something… but hey, they listened." 

Brian gives him a look interpreted as ' _Where were you?'_

"I don't - I don't know I was asleep and then I was dreaming a lot of weird things and then I woke up into the beach and saw you and then I think I passed out again or something then I woke up on this weird place that gave me the heebie-jeebies and it was like metallic and stuff-"

Brian grabs his arms roughly, staring him dead in the face. 

"What's wrong?" He waves at Jay to keep talking.

"The weird place?" Brian nods.

"Uh … idk, It was like silver … gray beach, and it was all cloudy and stormy and there were these big abandoned buildings and white seagulls but I don't know it was just, really weird I guess."

He stares at him like he's seen a ghost - or that thing.

"Are you-"

Suddenly, hands are on either side of his face, pulling him so that he almost topples forward.

 _'Ah!'_ His mouth was mashed against Brian's and his mind shuts down.

An unknown amount of time later, Brian pulls back, standing up and whirling Jay around in a dizzying circle, before hugging him tightly. _'I'm going to fall over.'_

He shakes him around like a ragdoll. Then walks back and forth pacing in the sand. Jay stands there, one finger in air, mouth poised like he has a question, but all he has is a garbled mess.

But now of all times, something pokes him back to attention. ' _Something important'_ it hints. But who is it?

He scrambles around in the still soaked Jean pockets, and - having ripped a hole in the bottom of his pocket - is his knife. Bent a bit, and worn down some, but it is definitely his. 

_'Didn't Tim take this?"_ He could've sworn he'd never had the knife in the pockets of these jeans, or any of the other spare clothing.

In the other pocket, an all too familiar shape. He wraps his fingers around a plastic cylinder, pulling it out. The inside is still closed but has filled with water, partially dissolving the pills inside. And on the soggy, yet legible label.

"WRIGHT, TIM."

His heart drops.

Brian is writing, no rather drawing something odd in the sand, deep in thought.

"Brian …"

No answer.

"Brian." He finally hears and looks up at Jay, fixed with a pale and stricken look.

"What's happening to me."

Now Brian is the one with a stricken look.

"Be honest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted for Brian to kind of have a condition that can change in seconds. We still have happy lovable Bryan, but he's also gone through so much, that he does have a violent streak of anger behind it all.


	14. The Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim runs for his life. (EDITING IN PROGRESS)
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Rosswood says "fuck geography."

Tim had been thinking all that night. Pondering his next move. He still has one more day before work. He keeps moving the coat fabric in circles between his fingers. The jacket was way too well made for something Jay would wear normally.

 _'Cus that isn't Jay. Jay's … gone._ ' No. No. Jay had spoken to him, that was him, at least for a minute there. 

And if it were anything like Tim's blackouts … 

_He would be back._

He is going to catch one of them this time. This time for sure.

He'd wrapped up his wrist. Another broken bone to add to the mix. He wonders how much this one will hurt healing up. Maybe he could go to the doctor … - but did he really want too? 

He has a nervous stomach and considers settling it with some plain toast or something.

He begins coughing. Normal so far. Choking down cigarettes wasn't doing him any better.

But it gets worse, the last time had been in the parking lot, saying goodbye to Jessica.

He goes for his pocket, then remembering that "Jay" had taken them. He double-checks the coat but still nothing. Must've dropped them in the forest somewhere. Oh well, he has spares for now. He goes to the sink to get some water.

Ok now his coughing is absurdly bad. He skips the water, heading for his room.

**BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**

It feels like a second atmosphere is pressing down on him, now, the whole world around him glitching just like the video cameras. It's dark and his eyes roll back. He struggles to stay on his hands and knees. 

_'Gotta … where … what...'_ Every thought he makes fizzles out, and he can vaguely taste salt and metal dripping from his nose. 

The static is so loud, louder than ever before in his life, and as he grips the carpeting for dear life, it sounds like words.

" **I'VE FOUND YOU."**

This shift in his mind seems to blend his masked side into the present, and he isn't quite sure who he isn't anymore.

' _Grab the jacket, the mask, the antler and_ **_go._** _'_

He knows who it is. Maybe. Kind of. There could only be one. And this time he listens, dragging the items off the side of the counter he is hiding behind. 

The roof is coming off, and a giant white face stares down at him. Large spindly hands threatening to crush him. 

He pushes and pushes. _'It's not real, it's what it wants you to see.'_

_'A cheap trick - he's a cheap trick.'_

He drags himself to the backup pills, sitting in a nook in his closet wall. 

' _We need to leave_ **_now_** _.'_

" **NO MORE."**

' ** _Now!'_ **Not soon enough.

He didn't think a force could ever be so strong to take him off his feet. He is slammed hard into the opposite wall. All of it hits him. He feels for a moment that he has been flattened. He drops to the floor, the roof shivering, and a cinder block comes down to cut him on his forehead. 

Blood streams down, blinding him. 

" _Bad. Bad. Bad."_

It was in front of him.

_'Mask!'_

And this time he can see the darkness it emits.

_'Run!'_

Surging forward like ropes.

_"Relinquish fool!"_

He blacks out.

\---

Alqamar wastes no time forcing his mind back. Dangerous - but the current danger is worse. He slips the mask on, but it is already too late. Harut knew this is was a human body long, long ago. 

They meet and lock arm's. Alqamar could best him in strength, but mentally he is nothing. He has to _leave_. They scream horrendous and angry things that he ignores. Threats he ignores. Human blood he ignores. The dark swaths are encroaching on his head now. He intends to kill the both of them.

He has to break the deadlock. Now or never. He kicks out, only meeting air, but it pushes them away at least. He has Alna's antler in his hand. He would thank him later if he makes it out alive. It turns black and sharp with the corruption the human had absorbed, and he plunges it into their chest. This time he can't turn to thin air, and is pinned by the thing. He runs for the door. But before he can make it - ' _Damnit'_ It slashes a deep cut in his scalp and his control is over.

\---

He swears the ceiling is caving in on him. But he forces himself to his feet, blinking through the red. Gravity pulls at him but he pulls back, each step heavier than the other. Tim makes it out the threshold of the door and the weight lightenes considerably. He flees into the woods, but the cut on his forehead, and apparently scalp, kept dripping blood in a trail. It didn't matter. It is only fear and survival. He was stupid to think he could live a normal life. It would always come back. It would always try to kill him. It would pursue him till he was dead, but he refused. Remain so that all of their sacrifices were not in vain, even if it was only he who made it out. Remain to help others. And a third reason, the fear of what lay on the other side.

He did and didn't know where he was running. Into the woods. And as he broke the treeline he had the sickening realization that this, this was Rosswood. Hundreds of miles away and here he was running through the much denser woods than his home. He didn't look back. He didn't want to know.

He considered calling for Jay, Brian, anyone at this point. 

Minutes blended into hours under his feet, he refused to stop. He was barely stumbling forward now, dehydrated and running through his adrenaline. He was still stuck here. In Rosswood. The cuts and scrapes had crusted over with scabs but he swore they would have to become infected.

Even if he was all the way back in Alabama, he just wanted out of the woods.

God he hated it here so much. Every tree a reminder, every shadow he hallucinated into a dead person, hiding from him, staring out from behind trees. He even saw the hooded man at one point, but he knew it was fake this time.

"Hey dude, are are you - Holy ssshit you're bleedingding." 

But he kept walking, convinced it was just another hallucination trying to stall him, before he collapsed against a tree.

\---

Before Brian could begin to explain, Jay shivered, eyes noticeably dilating.

"Are you rested enough? We need to return again. Harut is getting restless."

Brian nodded, still not quite used to the English speaking creature. He carried himself a lot different than Jay too, shoulders back and hands clasped, one coming up to brush off the mask and put it back on. 

"Besides, I would like my coat back now, it's difficult to find one like that."

He pulled the mask out of his pocket, and took a breath, fading into the background.

\---

Eventually, Tim blinked exhaustion. It was nearing night.

' _I should be at work right now …'_

"Yo!" He looked up at the bleary gray eyes of some thin teenager, wearing a bandana over their mouth.

' _What am I, getting robbed?'_

"You really took a real fall there!" His nose did an odd scrunch but Tim ignored it.

"Yeah … just jogging, misstepped."

"Uh yeah you're lying, looked more like you we're running for your life." He cracked his neck sickeningly.

"Look, kid, that doesn't really matter, you really shouldn't be here. Just uh … back to your friends or something."

He snickered. "Hey, I turned 18 in April, give me a break! All my friends are dead. If you call them friends."

Tim looked at him for a moment before mumbling "Wow what a coincidence…" 

"And if you know a way out of this forest I'd love to hear it, I've been here … yeah I don't know. Just goes in big ass circles."

"You can say that again."

"Just goes in big ass circles!"

Tim sighed. 

"So … " they whistled. Tim noticed two wood axes they carried on a belt. Something screamed danger, but Tim couldn't muster the strength to care.

"I've got to keep going."

"L.O.L. Where?" 

"Anywhere but here! And you should go too, it's not safe." 

"A lot safer in here honestly, the cops don't come looking this far!"

"What are you doing? Drugs? Kid there's a thousand better places than here."

The guy's eyes squinted, and he could guess he was smiling wickedly.

"That's not why I'm here."

"I really don't care - why?"

"You _will._ "

Tim left this conversation, walking away. 

"H-HEY! I'm not done talking you ass!"

"What!?" Tim turned around.

"I'm a serial killer. And you're next."

The man expected Tim to give him a shocked, fearful, or skeptical face, but he just looked bored.

Tim didn't really know if he was telling the truth or not.

"Honestly, not the weirdest thing I've seen. I've had enough with murderers this year. Give it your best shot if you want but I'm going home."

"That's fucking boring…". He looked genuinely upset. "Oh well, can't all be fun I guess."

Tim fixed him with a no bull-shit look. "If you do try, I will kill you first." He kept walking. He didn't care if the kid left and told the authorities. It might save his ass, getting him out of the woods at least. Getting him away from _himself._

"You say that like you've done it before."

He went Rigid. Remembering Alex's words, gargling through the knife he'd shoved in his throat. The wound he only just barely mustered the courage for with a final shout. 

"Ho-lee shhhitithit! You have, haven't - you - you! Oh that's juicy!"

 _'Blood for blood'_ he'd said in justification. All that was left behind was Tim. He remembered Jay with those fateful words -

"It's just gonna be really weird if it comes to that, we come out on top though, cus I don't remember what all I did before all of this happened."

"Wasn't that long ago…"

"Well, I do know that I was living by myself in a crappy apartment doing nothing … so at least now, I guess I'm …. doing … something I don't know."

"Just wish it wasn't this." The only thing he could think of.

"Yeah…"

He felt the pain of tears threatening to burst again.

_'Is that why you died Jay … because you thought … there was nothing left for you? Did you know you were going to die…._

_'Oh god. Did you want to die?'_ That thought choked his throat painfully. 

Really that whole time, the state of mind Tim was in, he always thought either him, or the both of them would go out. He was so blind. He never thought about being the last one standing. 

_'Dammit Jay … why'd you have to go."_

It was an awkward minute before the younger guy spoke.

"Lemme guess, that weirdo with the glasses and the gun? I haven't seen him in a while. Terrible aim, that guy."

"I'm not a murderer, I didn't have a choice."

"Ooo, so that kind of murder! What's the story?"

"You don't want to know…"

"Dude I've done a lot of fucked up shit, hard to top that."

He didn't realize he was crying until a drop hit his boot. ' _How pathetic.'_

"Oh … uh … gosh this is embarrassing, look I don't usually say these things but uh … s-sorry for stirring up history? See, I just kill strangers who wander in for the operator, but you don't seem like a stranger to this place…"

"For the WHAT!?"

"The Operator? Tall faceless dude always crawling around these woods."

Tim twisted around and grabbed him on the shoulders, they visibly shrunk while Tim looked them dead in the eye.

"Stay away from that thing! It's using you for food!"

"B-but it p-protects me from danger…"

"It IS the danger! It - It sets you up! I would know! I've had to deal with it my entire life! It takes everyone around you and then some! You're just feeding it! That's what Alex was doing!" He let go of the guy rubbing his hair over the peculiar wound in his hair."

"Who's ...- is that the guy you killed?"

"Tch-" He didn't want to say it. "He's gone too…"

"I am the world's fattest liar but I will be honest with you if it does any good. Get out, and get away. It just followed me all the way to fucking Illinois just to kill me! And now I'm back in Alabama! That's not normal!"

"Dude, what, we're in Colorado."

"No, this is Rosswood Park, in ALABAMA."

"Look there's no way I walked from Colorado to Alabama." 

He stared off into the woods.

"It's everywhere…"

"What?" 

"This forest isn't - right."

He remembered Jay's voicemail, the one that never sent. About how the layout of the park had changed. Another way to control Tim, to drive the two apart. It did the same to Jay and Alex, and then him and Jay.

"DAMN IT TO HELL!" He punched a tree. His knuckles broke on the bark, blood leaking out. When had he become so out of control… he knew when. He didn't know _why._

"Look dude either … try to fight me or … insult me or something so I can kill you already."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" 

"Guess that works enough. No hard feelings man, think you'll feel better dead anyways."

He heard the snap of a belt loop.

He didn't cough this time, but felt the itch in the back of his mind

_'Fine. Do it.'_

He slipped away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow can you guess who tf that random character is I sure can't.


	15. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two try again
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Kidnapping is a couple's activity

It seemed he only let him out when he needed to fight …

Alqamar whipped around with the mask on and caught the weapon heading for him, by the handle. This surprised the human a tad, but their eyes gleamed to life. 

He wrenched their arm up. But their strength defied their shape. Oh well, so did his. 

It's exciting for the other man though, finally someone who could fight back … that wasn't some drunk college kid. They might be a little bit too strong though, forcing his grip back. He had a slight height advantage, but it was non-existent here. A boot met his shin, but he expected as much. Poor guy. He brought the other axe down, tearing through their sleeve, meeting flesh. The guy flinched back, but nothing more than that. 

' _I don't have time to play like this.' A_ lqa thought, his head was killing him. The next few swings were fast, wide arcs, but the weight thrown into the swings left his guard way to open. Timing it right he grabbed hold of both and flung them into a nearby trunk.

The human looked between him and the hatchets, bewildered.

His head was throbbing though, and he turned to lean against a tree, rubbing at his head. 

"Holy shit dude that was cool!" 

He continued his trek through Rosswood.

"Hey! Where ya' going? Wait up!"

A magma hot fever seemed to be running through his skull, making his breath feel stuffier behind the mask. He was probably dehydrated. ' _Ugh_.' He wanted both to shed layers and yet hide in them from the chills he was getting. He at least had the second jacket.

The human was waving in front of him.

"You don't seem to be doing too hot, sure you don't want me to just finish you off here?" 

He pointed further into the woods, but it only confused the man more. No time for that though. The wound already exacerbated his partially fried mind.

He was shadowed by the youngling for as long as he walked. Every now and then they'd pop up with questions upon questions, but Alqamar knew better than to answer. He never liked speaking anyways.

They soon came across the tunnel. He knew the thing could come here, but at least, for now, it was a landmark for his partner to come and find him. Except the babbling man might scare him off. 

He turned around, holding a finger to the mask. But they still persisted. He sat uncomfortably in the middle of the tunnel.

"What is this your hideout?" He tapped one of the weapons against the metal paneling. 

"I don't know, kinda … damp."

Shit. The buzzing was back. It was only a minor irritant, but injured, he didn't want another squabble.

"Oh hey the operator's back. Kinda wish he could you know … turn it down sometimes." He tackled the human to the other side of the tunnel, trying best to silence them.

"LET G-GO OF ME! H-EY WHY ARE WE HIDING!?!" 

But a strange feeling hit his brain. He felt like … a nap. He stayed quiet, no longer resisting.

 _'What the hell?"_ The human thought.

He tried to slim the both of them as close to the wall as possible. The sky shifted and it was suddenly night again. 

_Tap. Tap. Tap_. 

They were walking on the road above them 5 feet of dirt and concrete between them and nothing else.

In a hazed state, the human still registered what was happening, staying quiet for the meantime. They looked over at the bleach white mask barely visible in the low light. 

It started to sound like the tunnel was ripping apart. The night faded away at either side and became giant films of static. The boy had never seen _this_ happen before. It was obvious the operator really wanted something from this guy. But … maybe he'd had a point earlier. He wasn't fond of being used, so decided he would wait and see how things played out.

They seemed to be staring to the opposite entrance, and then he was being pulled towards it, before he could protest, he was pushed through a blinding light, and when he turned around, the tunnel, and the guy in the mask, were gone. 

He looked ahead to more forest, but a lot different than anything he'd seen before. It was only hard caked dirt and tall, black, dead trees, splitting like claws into the air. Some more fog rolled through, obscuring the next 10 feet in front of him.

It was quiet, except for the caws of a crow, and a hooting owl. 

' _Well this is different_ '. The nervousness caused a series of twitches in his face, before he continued walking. Nowhere else to go but further.

\---

_He'd be caught dead saying it, but he always loved how Alna traveled. A graceful fission rather than a simple glitch into reality. Though, it did have downsides. It is as quite noticeable from a distance, thick dark fog unfurling it's passengers._

_The last of the black curtains bloomed out in a lotus, revealing the dark forest The cloth mask concealed his gleeful smile. Back on earth, and this time, he wouldn't be alone. They stepped onto crinkly leaves._

_Eadala would barely make an admission of it, but he has been so terrified of the loneliness. Trying to cling to earth as long as possible, to make Alqamar emerge, but he always reverted back to the human's consciousness. The human who didn't understand it's own predicament. At least his own was smart enough to understand enough. As the wound reopened he would emerge back in his realm, wound fizzing back together again, but he could never stay for long, never rest. The branches would give out into a black void threatening to consume him. He pulled whatever sleep he could on earth as the human, and then maybe a power nap in the mangroves, never more than that. But he was safe now! Ha ha! Able to sleep comfortably now that Alnnasik has returned. Without threat that the ocean will give out under him._

_The human definitely enjoyed it as well. Both the company and the safety. Physicality trying to make up for all the lost years, push all the pain back into the past and fill a hollow soul with warmth and love. Things went better when both he and the human were in agreement_. 

_But they were on earth now, in the middle of that devil's trapping grounds. The thick of it._

_Right on schedule apparently, as his partner was immediately tackled by his other._

\---

He'll admit, the "football" tackle did catch him off guard.

Two white masks facing off. One appeared to bare its teeth, and the other zipped shut.

" _Alqa-"_ He received no response, only being strangled viciously by his beloved. He noticed the gash, leaking out white light, and it clicked.

' _He's been damaged! That's why he can't hold himself for long … and why he's being an utter ass.'_

Alqamar was far stronger than many, and Alna was more privy to trap making, this close quartered fight wouldn't go well for him

Ead rammed into him with his shoulder, enough to free the pair.

Alna brushed himself off, " **At least he remembered the jacket…** "

Alqamar could only writhe around angrily on the cement, struggling to find purchase.

" **A-"** He only clicked once before they were discovered by the enemy. They were rapidly transported to another scenery, and he swore a punch connected to his jaw, making him lose control.


	16. Out of Sync

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The six in three are warped around.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> "Ok so we're gonna shove like 6 different fic ideas into this one chapter let's go"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea why it wants to out extra spaces in the qoutes and between paragraphs.
> 
> Also btw end Notes have a warning in them before a gorey ass story you can scroll past it.

Jay awoke heart beating fast, once again behind a stuffy mask, which he preceded to pull off. 

"Brian!?!" The hooded man was next to him and his mouth was sharply thwacked by a glove, and they pushed the mask back on. ' _Fine I'll listen.'_ It was rare for him to be this close when Brian was like … this … he wasn't sure what it should be called. They were always somewhat bratty and sneaky, an opposite of Bryan. And Jay threw out the theory of it being some kind of act long ago.

' _Oh god where are we.'_ He was nauseous from a reeling head and noticed they were in the old shack.

'Brian' pulled him back, and began to fiercely sign at him and tap like Morse code. But he noticed, the less he focused on it, the more it blurred, he could - kind of … understand it. 

' _Trying to seperate us.'_

He whispered. "Who-" but he knew, there was only one creature that would make the hooded man run.

Jay hacked horribly, as the floor came out from under them, and he blacked out.

\--- 

Tim woke up, under a desk in the old hospital. _'Why here.'_

And in front him was Brian, how he used to know him. Before Alex took him.

"Hrmph!" A hand covered his throat.

" _Quiet."_ He scratched out from his throat.

"Brian?" He hadn't ever spoken before.

" _Silence. Hiding."_ He looked desperate, dragging Tim under the desk.

Brian bolted out from under the desk, jumping over it and the dividing wall, and Tim knows why, they both begin coughing and Brian's dry, voiceless heaving disappears down the hall. Tim's throat settles and he realizes -

_'Brian's leading that thing away.'_

It switches again.

\---

This time Tim is standing at the entrance of Rosswood. Should … should he leave? It would get him out of hell, but what was he going to do 600 miles from his car. And if the park was like a seperate space, it might just be easier for him to face the danger and walk back through. It was still night. If it led him back to where his house was, he could make it to his shift a bit late and excuse himself.

But he knows that's not why he's walking down the gravel path again. He sees Brian's terrified face, still leading that thing away from him. He has to go back.

He walks until something on the trail board catches his eyes.

**MISSING**

Six signs behind the glass, picture by picture, each newer than the last.

Alex Kralie. Amy Walters. Sarah Reid. Seth Wilson. Brian Thomas. Jay Merrick. 

_No_.

He couldn't take the images, and took them down, one by one, painfully. Each paper shred tore him up inside.

But under them -

Another sign, much older than Alex's, browned over:

E. HOFFMAN LAST SEEN 2/17/87 No picture

' _1987!?!'_ No it couldn't be related, there was no way.

"L. SCHRIEBER, M. SCHRIEBER, A. SCHRIEBER LAST SEEN 10/24/83"

A smiling trio of siblings.

"R. IVANOV 12/03/79"

No picture

' _It has to be a coincidence right? Right?'_

"C. PALLADINO 01/29/77"

"D. KOZUTA '75"

"M. DARBY '72"

"K. HAYES '69"

He shred and shred. 

"D. FOX"

"E. SMITH"

"H. MILLER"

"L. HALES"

"R. QUINONES"

"D. DAIGLER"

"J. FORREST"

"S. NETTLES"

"M. JOHN"

And they continued on, and on, and on.

"M. WRIGHT"

That caught his attention. His mother's photo … but she never went messing … if she did she wasn't always …

' _No. No no no.'_ He sprinted, crackling gravel in his wake, this time, towards the forest. 

The mask like the skull blurs into view. They walked, this time, towards him. A bit of moonlight filtered through creating a starting image. They were holding a gloved hand out for him. Urging him to take it. He approached. One step. Two steps. He swung over a fallen tree. Three steps. Four.

He took their hand. Warm and reassuring is the devil.

"Don't worry I've -"

The thing blasted itself into existence behind him. His ears were going to bleed by now. They pulled him into a run. It felt like the time he stood up to the thing, a thousand pounds on his shoulders. But the masked fellow kept running. Never letting go. Together they broke the forest line and now ran through a field of budding cotton plants. They snagged at their jeans but broke away with ease. The one in front stopped pulling out something from their coat. Wait - the coat that Tim had grabbed during the day. ' _When did he …'_

They pressed the plastic mask to Tim's hands. He also had no idea when that went missing either.

And as it slid into place the thing appeared behind the skull mask. Tim saw it move for once, an arm swiping out, sending the other flying a few meters away, landing with the air knocked out of their diaphragm.

"JAY!" He called, but no one answered.

Now, he was staring the thing down alone. It moved towards him and he can hear the audio of entry 72 blaring at Tim to keep standing. Can hear Jay coughing and sputtering again, suffering on the ground in the middle of the night. 

' _Was Jay always doomed to die on the floor - why - why such a fate?'_

But not this time. ' _When did he?'_ Suddenly then, the man was climbing up onto his shoulders. It was heavy, to carry another person, but still, worrying light weight. Not as oppressing as the air around him. 

They balanced on Tim's shoulders. Not like he could move anyway.

And whatever it was, it worked. Seeing the masked face of Jay now, it fell back. It looked as if it were shrinking in size.

Why … was it afraid of him, and not him or Brian. It was something to do with the mask. It had to be. And the height. 

He couldn't finish the thought. In anger, the monster switched them up again.

\---

Ead moved quickly when he awoke, narrowly dodging a rock aimed at his head. 

' _He's the issue.'_

He knew fighting with Alqamar was a death waiting to happen. 

He leapt at his back, trying to communicate with the feral thing, but was slammed into a wall, and fell to the floor. Suddenly he was pinned by the head pressed to the chipped concrete walls. The fickle wound to the others head, that's what was causing the confusion.

He wanted to yowl 'I'm not the enemy you idiot.' He's clever though. Alqamar might be strong but he wasn't sneaky like him. He kicked the bad leg, and with just enough give slipped out backwards. With an iron pole conveniently located on the floor, he turned around just in time to smack him in the head. 

They didn't fall immediately instead gripped their head to stop the ringing. Ead stood in the doorway, poser with the pole, ready, just in case. Then Alqamar looked at him, actually _looked_ at him, and whatever button he'd hit, it was the right one. 

He approached the hooded one with a soft chittering akin to a squirrel. They embraced for a moment. In a human body, it looked rather strange, but they sniffed at each other confirming they knew one another. But time for reunions was short. They had to find Alna and book it. Plus, they knew shortly, they would likely divide again.

He tapped at his shoulders, with small odd little scrapes.

' _It's the body of the human Jay Merrick. He is there. He isn't infected anymore.'_

He nodded affirmation, before the static came blaring in.

\---

Jay rubbed his eyes through the plastic, coughing out dust. The stars were out. Standing up, he realized he was on the roof of the school near the hospital, and far over the tree line, he could make out the town. Streetlamps too dark, cars all dead and silent.

Most of them. An old, metal clunker was in the air. ' _Oh wait_ ' it was heading straight for him. He ran to the side, hearing the woosh as the roof shook with the impact.

The old building threatened to collapse in for a moment, but he scampered to the side again, as another car came hurtling over the edge.

_'I should be getting paid for this…'_

_'Get off the roof get off the roof get off the roof'_

He took the roof access down. It might be more dangerous inside the unstable building, but he had to get down somehow. 

He flew down the stair-wells 3 steps at time like the world's most rushed fire drill. Without the drill part. The adrenaline pushed him past the nagging itch on his gut. He knew why, but not exactly - a wall busted with concrete near him - how it was happening.

He was on the ground floor, _wasn't someone else supposed to be with him?_

He came into a much more opened area, ducking behind a tiled pillar. ' _There!'_

In another spot, was Brian. Or the hooded man. He didn't know. But something was creeping around, black claws slinking over tile. Brian was looking the other way.

"MOVE!" Jay screamed out in warning, and both Brian and the other thing looked at him. white depthless eyes along with the red circles stared at him, but Brian listened, dodging whatever it was.

The ceiling shook again and with a silent shout the wind was knocked out of him, being pulled into a fierce grip, the world spinning around him. He was on his back shortly and stared up at the masked Tim, eyes still black and wild beneath the mask. His palms were planted next to his head and they hovered over him. He felt trapped, but it changed upon realizing the man - or thing - was trying to protect him. 

He felt a tickling feeling of " _my hero"_ flow over him like some cheesy ass romance movie.

"Tim?" They shook their head 'no.'

Without asking, they flipped Jay over their shoulder with an annoyed huff. Not the time for protest really. ' _Is this what happened to Jessica?'_

They flew down the stone halls, and Jay realized a line in the ceiling above was following.

A piece from the floor above fell at an angle. And Jay fell roughly to the ground. But it didn't crush the two … yet. The masked man strained under the weight on his shoulders. Jay could feel his own muscles screaming in the pain of it.

"Hold on!" He panicked next to the man, trying to push the concrete slab over and off. Maybe it was his imagination, but it began to move up, just enough to tilt it over. "It's - not over yet." He said through heaves of air. "Tim" stared at him incredulously. Then the concrete shook under their feet, cracks parting below them. They tried stepping back but it went down, into the basement level, taking them with it. They never hit the bottom.

\---

Tim was sitting in his house, flicking the lighter open and closed. Contemplating whatever life muster bullshit came to mind. 

A distinct feeling touched the pit of his stomach, and anxiety took over. He pushed the door to the living room open. Leaning against the counter, glazed and pained eyes, was Jay, arms limp but still breathing. He doesn't remember crossing the room, just being right there with him.

"Jay … Jay! Please wake up Jay!" He had an awful fever, and groggily lifted his head.

"Alex … why."

"Alex isn't here right now, it's Tim, ok? Your friend Tim."

He blinked to life suddenly, chest working hard again. Too pained to move his diaphragm.

"Holy fucking shit Tim it hurts - I didn't think it would hurt this much - I - I can definitely feel it." Each breath shrieked through bared teeth.

"Ok ok I know buddy, I'm going to call 911 right now!"

"Hell no that's like -- 3k!"

"I kn- Jay are you serious right now!?!"

"I've been here for more than an hour … Another one - won't kill me, just - ah - just take me in a car…"

"Jay the ambulance around here is volunteer! Taxes!"

Anger crossed his face, more than when he took the tape from Tim.

"Put me in the back of an ambulance and I swear to god Timothy Wright my last act will be to kill you - *cough* - before Alex can."

"Ok ok! No ambulances! But if you pass out in the car I'm calling!"

"It's not like the movies … it … it takes a few hours … if it misses your vitals - as long as your heart's still beating."

"Lemme guess the internet."

"The internet."

"Ok, take a deep breath…" He was shaky, and weak muscled, but forced himself to put an arm under his legs and back and lift. Despite being as thin as he was, it felt like carrying a lead weight. 

"AHHHHH! SHIT THAT HURTS STOP! PUT ME DOWN!" He screeched out so wretchedly it made Tim want to throw up. But he can't put him down. Despite Jay's optimism, he has a nagging feeling there's no more time to wait. He probably shouldn't drive like this. 

There was a noise of a car outside. ' _Shit!'_ Jay heard it too, gritting his teeth together. _'Fuck…_ ' He switched the kitchen light off with his shoulder, pulling him and Jay in the darkness between the counter and the fridge. He whimpered, struggling to stay quiet.

_"I know Jay, I know it hurts. Shhh."_

The front door opened, and the mistakable sound of sneakers on linoleum. They both held their breath.

He was quiet at first, perusing the room where Tim had been moments before. There was a liquid sound, pouring over the floor …

Then, Alex came Into the living room, but thankfully, walked down the hallway.

"Where are you, Tim?"

The first cry.

"Stop playing games and come out."

Whatever was spilling was following Alex around.

"This is what you wanted, right? Me and you. Here I am."

Tim felt something wet from the arm linked around Jay's back.

One of the bedroom doors opened, muffling Jay's sudden murmur of pain.

"Where are you hiding?"

" _He's gonna kill us."_ Jay heaved out.

_"Shh."_

Another room opened. Jay bit down on his hand, squirming to avoid the sharp pains going down his spine. He wanted to apologize to Tim, he couldn't control it. ' _Shit he's coming back this way.'_

"You in the attic?" Followed by a loud bang that made Tim flinch, but he used the opportunity to pry open a cabinet, thinking quickly.

"That's fine."

" _Fuck- hurts."_ He pushed Jay into the cabinet in silence that he didn't think the old rickety house possessed. It was as if the house wanted to help them too. It was a horrible squeeze, and Tim had to choke Jay to stifle a scream.Tim held the door shut with one arm, the other wrapped around Jay's neck. Jay understood, and his hand covered his own mouth and nose. He couldn't see anything in the pitch black, but he shot an apologetic look at Jay.

"This is all your fault. I thought it was me, but you're the source!" He zeroed in on Jay's pulse, ignoring Alex's ramblings. Both men shivering in the dark, stuffy space. Jay finally scratched at Tim's hand, and he cautiously removed it, taking the moment to speak.

" _I'm scared."_ Whispered into the darkness, but he answered back, happy at least, he was not alone.

" _I'm scared too."_ Shit. Maybe Jay was right, they were going to die here. _'Do not cry now Timothy Jay needs you!'_

You're the reason any of this happened! Everyone is gone BECAUSE OF **YOU!"** Alex blared.

Death. The great equalizer of mankind. Turning all that is left into fear.

" **YOU LEFT JAY! AND YOU LEFT BRIAN!** EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IS **YOUR FAULT!"**

Maybe they met as kids once. In a different life. Playing hide and seek in an empty house. And this was all a fun game. And they were happy. And Jay wasn't dying. And Tim wasn't in the hospital. And Alex was the seeker, counting to ten.

The next shout came from the living room as Alex turned around.

"And it's not going to end, until you're **dead**!"

A better day when Jay felt warm and relaxed instead of cold, too cold like this. With a heartbeat racing now just a bit too fast. And his spleen hadn't ruptured, staining the side of Tim's jeans.

"So I'll tell you what … if you don't do the right thing, and burn to death, you come and find me."

He didn't hear "burn". Jay was becoming delirious in the tight space, and barely registers warm lips on his. Swallowing any painful cry and trying to breathe life back into him. Maybe he could survive. Maybe it would work.

Alex was in front of the kitchen. He would find them.

"We'll settle this." Tim was going to kill him before he could ever hurt Jay again. He looked out the cupboard, and instead of seeing a normal Alex, saw a reflectionless black creature, darker than the space that consumed them.

Then the back door opened and Tim finally heard Alex.

"You'll know where I'll be."

_'He's leaving.'_

He waited a few precious seconds, and the smell of gasoline hit him. 

"Jay - Jay we gotta go right now!" The smoke detector started blaring. He pulled Jay out, almost slipping on the stinky fluid, stumbling as fast as he could out the front door, across the lawn. They were out, but they weren't safe. 

He made it across the road, to his car, setting Jay down a moment to open the passenger door. 

Buckled, Tim jammed the keys into the ignition while struggling with his own belt, when barely next to his window a firetruck, blaring lights and sirens, appeared out of nowhere. Surely he would've heard a thing like that?

' _They're early …'_

A babbling came from Jay's side of the car.

"What Jay?"

"That's not - The firetrucks … they rarely use those sirens …"

"What do you mean Jay it's an emergency."

He coughed. "No, no they make noise, but only with … the horn, and the first dial. They only signal those sounds … if the building has collapsed."

"The hell did you learn that?"

"I don't know … I just did … some outside source."

Now that he mentioned it … uniformed people were pouring off, a hose line already connected and going. He couldn't see any symbol, any fire company. The engine was shrouded in something, something dark reflecting off the blue and red lights. ' _Ash?'_

One of the uniformed people hadn't moved from their spot, hot fire dancing behind them. The reflective marks on their suit were covered too.

"Tim go Tim get us out of here." He needn't be asked twice, shifting into drive and flooring it.

**THWACK.**

"Oh my god what did I hit!?!"

Jay's eyes were blown wide. "The Firefighter, they - they stepped out in front of the car! Tim they watched, us they did it on purpose, we need to go! Please!"

 **37**. The person laying on the front of the car, their helmet reflecting just enough in the street light.

 **37\. 37.** Why did it burn so much in his head like the fever.

"TIM GO!" But the car was stuck on something. The person moved, looking through the windshield at them. A high collar hid their lower face, and a pair of human yet inhuman eyes, stared at them, lower lids gleaming next to the ash that encircled them.

" _To the ark."_ A light voice, wringing in their heads, as they both blacked out.

\---

_Finally! Alnnasik reared his head around, back in the tunnel. The human hosting Alqamar pulled their mask off and looked wildly at them._

_"What's going on!" He and Eadala seized forward, met with a violent response._

_But two are better than one, and time was of the essence. They wrangle Tim, binding him. He flung into a coughing fit, throes flinging him, but they already had him down. Harut wasn't far but the curtains of black fell in a final crescendo, sweeping them away._

_It was quiet in the darkness of the lotus flower. Tim was nervous, looking between each of them in the dim glowing light of a blue orb._

_He crawled over gently to him, who was too stunned to try and move away. He brushed the dirt and grime off his face with the leather gloves, smudging away tears as well._

_Alna pulled him to his chest, so he could hear his heartbeat. Something that to calmed frightened humans._

" _It's ok. I've got you. You're safe. You're safe here. You're safe."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lot of notes in this bish:
> 
> The names are both random and some of my friends. If it's your name I'm sorry, apparently you went missing in Rosswood.
> 
> I painstakingly went through Entry 85 to make all of Alex's movements/dialogue accurate in the writing. 
> 
> Alnnasik is mother.exe
> 
> "Firefighter 37" is from a horror story I wrote. I'm currently trying to get it approved for the Creepypasta website so anyone can read it. It's to help spread awareness and raise money for volunteer Firefighters everywhere. (Yes and my best idea for that was to make a horror story ... About Firefighter's ... You know the people that stop your shit from burning)
> 
> I've never been shot in the stomach but I've been slashed on the arm and that shit hurts fuck ton. Don't feel bad if you cry we all do. I've had more painful shits though I'll be honest. You didn't need to know that but now you do.
> 
> Yes it's true, if a bullet misses your vitals and blood vessels, you can usually survive a couple hours. Painfully I must add. This is why some may die from one shot and others survive 20.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING  
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> Seriously this some dark shit  
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> I've seen a person who blew their face off with a shotgun, but missed their brain. They survived for 45 minutes. It's not pretty people. Suicide isn't painless. And for the love of goodness, as much as I don't want ANYONE to do so, it would be very much appreciated if you don't scar half the paramedics that have to wheel your body out and the people that have to clean up after you. Look I was suicidal at one point, and I get the feeling of wanting others to "know your pain" or not caring what happens to you, but let this be a warning. You will become some dumb story a bunch of first responders tell to scare rookies. These people have seen so much shit, sometimes they will literally rank someone on how they went out. If you filled your house with gas they hate you. If you overdose on Adderall, they might laugh about it later as their strange "Logan Paul" coping mechanism.  
> But if you're the one being who went "suicide via chocolate ice cream" you will be a legend in the local departments.  
> Stay safe y'all
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> Seriously if you just scrolled down to the comments past the trigger warning don't read it you're better without it.  
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	17. Together At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay wakes up. Again Again Again.  
> Jay becomes better acquainted with the masked ones.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay smells cat food so the others get a bit frisky  
> YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERRRR

Jay woke up. ' _Oh wow this again … wasn't I talking to Brian just a minute ago … did I forget? Did I fall asleep?'_

He became acutely aware of a slight damp under him, and the smell of clovers. It was well into the night, and a full moon peeked through the branch lines. _Must be near the ridge…_

The old wound in his side hurt - only a bit - but he always noticed that upon waking. He just needed to stretch for a while and it would fade.

He was still really tired though … and it was night. Who knows why he's laying out here, but moving right now? Wasn't up to it. His joints were still drooping with the drugging of sleep. It's a bit cold … not too much though. Not too wet. Not too itchy. And he felt safe to lie here.

Sooner than later, he heard a light coughing noise, and some stumbling. He didn't respond to it. ' _Wasn't there … something important … I was asking Brian? Whatever … tired.'_

\---

Brian hadn't fallen asleep like Jay. He was used to this by now. He waited patiently, though excited, for him to stir awake. The same for Tim, who was a rock a few yards away. 

He approached Tim, who's eyelids began twitching. They opened partially, staring blankly at his feet, before following the pants up to see Brian, Hooded but with no mask.

"Brian?!?" 

He nodded.

"W-what … am I dead?"

He shook with a silent giggle.

"But you - you're - you - you're dead!"

He shrugged.

"What? What's going on?" He was sitting up now, beginning to hyperventilate.

"No … no you're not real … where are my pills."

He jumped the man and a struggle ensued as he checked Tim over for any signs of that monster's influence. He seemed clean.

His ears pricked at the sound of Jay stirring now. He shot up, Tim in a death grip from behind.

\---

"GAH! BRIAN LET - LET GO OF ME! BRIAN! STOP DRAGGING ME! BRIAN! I GET IT! I GET IT!" 

' _Tim?'_ He kept hearing him in his dreams but his mind didn't feel like it was wrapped in that foggy cellophane. 

He rolled over, to see Brian kidnapping none other than Tim.

' _This is one weirdddddd dream.'_

Brian dropped him with a thud not too far away, crouching down.

"Oww, sh-"

"Hey Tim."

Tim whipped around, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness, dilating on a dark outline of Jay. 

"DON'T 'HEY TIM' ME MERRICK!" He lunged forward, semi-punching him in the nose.

"OW!" He held his nose, and Tim immediately spewed "I'm so sorry!" and "I don't know what came over me." Then switching back to a "YOU DESERVED THAT!"

He pulled Jay forward in a hug, causing him to half fall into Tim's lap. 

"Please … please tell me you're real this time."

"I …" ' _Holy shit Tim is hugging me.'_ "I think so. I mean, last I checked." 

Nails tightened against his back. _'He thinks I'll disappear_.' 

"Hey - I'm not going anywhere." 

"If you and Brian are lying to me I will kill you."

"Mmm, that would be unfortunate."

Tim released him in a lightbulb moment.

"Wait if your - and this is - and." He chewed on his hand nervously, then preceded walking back and forth between trees. He couldn't make out his ramblings much more than "Paperwork so much fucking paperwork."

Brian smiled at him, and then walked over, handing something to Jay. The skull mask.

 _'Ah!'_ "Brian you were … trying to tell me something earlier, right.?"

' _Yes'_ He nods.

It was clicking, slowly, bit by bit, puzzle by puzzle piece snapping into place.

"Is this me?" He looked down at the mask in his hands. Brian made a so-so gesture.

"What's that supposed to mean? Gee I wish I had my camera …."

" _Know … soon."_ He rasped out.

"Don't strain yourself it's alright…"

Tim paced around in the grass, rubbing a hand across his scalp. "Look I'm beyond relieved … joyful, elated, mentally - better off, that you're both alive but I have an _actual_ job now, more than minimum wage, and I really need to get back to that. I can't miss another payment. You two need to-"

He stared at the gangly pair. A paranoid cameraman and a … jungle man?

"Ugh could you two even hold a job how you are." Jay snorted. 

"Look, when you two - we need to go … how far in the woods even are we …" He went back to darting eyes silently, hand in his face.

"We can't really leave anytime soon Tim." Jay mumbled, not sure if he'd heard him for a minute.

"Ok fine - when you wrap up your camping trip or whatever, just come find me. You can live with me for now but I … I have to get back. I can't stress how important it is that I keep this job. "I'm going to walk back now, goodnight." He stared at the two expectantly, and when they just stood staring at him, huffed and turned to march through the woods in a 'I'm Tim and I'm moody right now' way.

Jay moved forward to stop him but Brian put a hand on his shoulder, affixed with a sly grin. 

"Oh …. Ohhhhhhhhhhhh." 

They started walking back to the cave. "Don't think he'll get hurt in the dark, will he?" Jay said. Brian shook his head.

"I'll get the fire started again." He sighed.

Their shadows danced on the walls as Jay tended to a cooking bird. Not 30 minutes had passed when they heard "JAY …. BRIAN?!?" in the distance. They walked out onto the beach to find Tim struggling through the branch wall, seeing them, and _finally_ , moonlight glinting over endless miles of water.

"Yeah uh - where the hell are we?" Tim said, out of breath.

"I'm not sure. Brian what do we call this place?" Brian shrugged. "Yeah, thought so. All I know is one, it's an island, and two, most important - it's safe."

"Yeah I don't know what your definition of safe is Mr. 4 hours of sleep."

"Well, that thing isn't here … every time I black out I wake up on the beach again … oh! Yeah and there's no mosquitoes!"

"You're certain of that…"

"I mean you can look around … I've been here like … a week and a half or so."

"... Jay … a week and a half?"

"Yeah, Brian showed up a few days ago…"

"Jay -" His face was frozen.

"Is something wrong? Like, more than the usual?"

"You've been gone more than 7 months…"

"What?"

"It's July! 2014!"

"That can't be right I - " _'No it can be right. This has happened before_.'

"It's alright - we'll figure it out, I'm sure.

"I guess my job is the least of our concerns right now."

"Ha yeah, sorry about that. Just come sit down..."

He quirked his head to the side, before following them down into an indent in the beach, limestone turning to a gray as they got lower. The cave had a high ceiling, footsteps echoing very well. A mess of a bed and a fire, smoke traveling out a hole in the roof, decorated the large space. 

Tim noted a branching tunnel off the side.

"How … big is this place?"

"Not much, that tunnel there splits into two, only goes back about ten more feet."

"Ok … still creepy though."

They sat at the fire … Brian began leaning more and more against Jay like a human pillow in the warm glow. 

A few minutes went by of Tim nervously glancing over at him, twiddling his thumbs. Looking like he was trying to speak but couldn't. Oh well, Jay was patient.

"I saw the tape."

"Gonna have to be more specific." 

"From your camera, you tried to call me. And left me a voicemail, but it never arrived …"

"Doesn't surprise me … can't remember anything after that weird shed up until getting shot."

"What!?!" Tim sat up. "You remember nothing?" His face pinched painfully for a fleeting second.

"No, I mean I tried thinking about it, but it just seemed like I went from that shack - to the hall. I just remember … I was going to say something to Alex … I don't know - I thought maybe … you know something was still left to reason with."

"Shit." Tim wiped his face. "I should've known before. I'm so sorry Jay I-"

"You don't have to be sorry Tim you didn't know any better-"

"But I did! I saw it, you were so - _fucked_ \- in the head. I should've forced you into a clinic at that point! You were sick and I didn't intervene."

"We're _all_ sick."

"Not before this! You were all doing fine until I showed up."

Brian shook his head. Jay answered. "Alex was acting weird even before auditions, it just … increased."

"Yeah, because I came to … I don't know - "increase" it like you said! I-"

"Dammit Tim stop trying to blame yourself again. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't our fault. It wasn't even Alex's Fault, as stupid as he was about it." He didn't mean to snap that loud.

"That's not what _Brian_ thinks." He mumbled.

"What?"

"Brian clearly thought it was _my fault_." A painful fright came to Brian's face, as he shook his hands.

"It was written all over the place! Everywhere I went! And then you died and it was nothing but "your fault!" 

Brian was signing desperately, pointing to his throat, face turning rouge, whilst trying to search for the single pen they had for writing. Jay could only pick up some of it.

"Tim, why would Brian consciously do that. He's your best friend." 

"I DON'T KNOW!?! BECAUSE HE'S BEEN MESSED UP JUST AS MUCH AS ALEX!"

" _No-"_ Brian coughed, before the string of phrases he could only repeat spilled. " _Wait till we are alone together -"_

"STOP STOP STOP STOP!" 

"Tim you're acting -" _'He's having a seizure.'_ Jay, somewhere, pulled this information. He wasn't having the "typical" seizure. But it _was_ a seizure.

Tim screamed in a mantra. Jay was over to him in two steps. Tim wasn't looking at them, pupils dilated and glazed. Brian was next to Jay like a shadow. They looped under Tim's arms, lowering him to the ground, despite his legs locking up. And rolled him to his side. His eyes rolled back and the mantra cut short without air. Then one by one his muscles began clamping together as he curled in on himself, drool spilling from his mouth.

It wasn't like the one he had caught on tape prior. He jittered uncontrollably trying to fold in on himself, before snapping back, arched. Brian cushioned his head. 

Tim's eyes regained their focus and darted to look at either of them, but his face still twitched and locked with the spasms.

"Urghffff" He growled.

"We know, we know, it's going to be ok Tim you're doing great, try to breathe if you can."

His diaphragm heaved in a gasp of air the moment he could, then out, frothing the foam at his mouth.

The next 30 seconds passed like 30 minutes. The twitching slowed, muscles trying to relax and unlock. Finally having mercy on him, his body slacked into the ground. He breathed cautiously, head planted on the jacket, exhausted.

"You feeling better?" Jay asked quietly.

"Mhmm…. Sorry." 

"Shhh, it's alright. You're alright."

Tim _looked_ at Jay, studying him over. Void of darkened eyes and wearing a soft smile.

Still staring, he gaped, "You've changed."

Jay's face quirked nervously "Uhhh-"

"Not- Not in a bad way!" He corrected. Hand rubbing at his neck.

"Oh …" 

"I think we all need some sleep. We can - talk more in the morning."

"Agreed…"

"There's no real beds, just kind uh … this leaf sleeping bag combo I've got going on here."

"That's fine…"

"I don't think it's going to rain tonight, it can stay on the floor at least." Brian preferred the light and warmth of the fire anyways.

Jay nestled himself as far to the left, trying to make as much room as possible, laying the jacket over himself like a blanket. Brian layed next to him, patting the leaves demandingly for Tim to sit down.

He fiddled awkwardly for a moment, then later down on the right, only for Brian to quickly trap him in a death squeeze.

 _"Bri - Brian I can't breathe---"_ With a pout Brian switched positions a bit so that Tim wouldn't die of oxygen loss.

Tim faced Jay, "He's got a vice grip …"

Jay mumbled, half awake "Yep, he loves doing that … he wishes he could scream."

"You know … I think that thing … it was trying to split us up…" Jay muttered

"You mean _the_ thing."

"Yeah …" rolled into his side to look at Tim.

"That's why everyone pushed away help … I think when you came to help me … it couldn't stand that. Maybe that's why I woke up in that shack …"

"You … did act really weird … tried to stab me…"

"Wait what."

"Worry about it later."

"... Alright." He sighed.

"The whole time, actually, I couldn't remember my parents. I couldn't get help from them. It was trying to isolate us. Made us forget about the people we loved and cared about. Made us fight one another so we wouldn't work together. So I wouldn't get help." Brian's hand reached back, patting Jay on the face.

"Now all they know is, I just ran off out of the blue after college, never called, then ended up on a missing persons list…"

"And that all your friends went on a missing persons list." He noted sarcastically. 

"Maybe they thought we were a cult of something." 

Tim actually snorted at that, warming his heart.

"Night"

"Night…"

\---

Jay was awoken by a prodding at his back. He turned his shoulder, seeing Brian or "Not Brian", as he called him, wearing the hood.

"Is everything alright?" He noticed Tim was missing…

"Where did Tim go?" They just stared at him.

Jay pointed to the empty spot. They looked, then back to Jay, their head bobbing strangely. 

"Sorry … don't know what that means."

They crawled up next to him with a paper and pad, and began writing, in the strange distorted code. But he had ciphered one like this before. After a few minutes of scribbling.

' _Looking around. Tell 48822874728373827 come back'_ He couldn't turn the numbers into anything coherent. After reading the message, the plastic mask was shoved into his hands.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and adjusted the mask to his face.

"Sorry nothing's happening." They scrambled around. They turned on their heels pouting angrily. 

"I'm sure they'll be back later." But it was obvious now, they couldn't understand Jay either. He set the mask aside.

"Oh sit down and be patient you asshole!" He joked. At the tone, the creature masquerading in Brian's body shrunk, immediately plopping to the floor. They picked at their gloved fingers.

He sighed. "Come here." Patting the ground next to him. They quickly slinked over on all fours, curling up next to Jay like a dog. Their chin rested on his shoulder, as if expecting something.

"What?"

There was a snort of air, making the cloth puff out, before they shifted their head like they were trying to fit it behind Jay's own. 

They kept squirming like this until they managed to wedge their front half between his back and the cave wall. Curled together like a little ball, using Jay as a hiding spot. They seemed content to sit in the uncomfortable position. 

The shared warmth led him to almost fall asleep again, until a loud crash startled both of them.

The masked man had landed at the cave entrance, feet first, with a thud, favoring his right leg. He still gave an air of menace off to Jay. The hooded one immediately broke from his hiding spot, sitting defensively in front of Jay, arm in front of him.

Then, Jay heard a peculiar chattering sound from the masked one. Quiet, almost indiscernible, but there. He didn't think he'd heard them even make a noise, except for the scream when Alex had broken his leg. He couldn't call them Tim. No, they were much different. It definitely wasn't Tim.

The defensive one relaxed, putting their arm down, content just to sit in front of him. 

They crawled rather than walked, shrinking to a less intimidating stature, but they had to swing their left leg all the way in front, to avoid putting weight on it too much. They rounded the fire, orange dancing off white. If it weren't for the hair, they could easily pass for a separate person. Reaching the hooded one, they made a different kind of chittering, higher and more whistley. They crouched in front of one another, knees together.

He watched almost in awe, unsure if he should look away or not. They were very careful with one another, looking each other over with soft pokes and touches, sniffs here and there.

He blushed a bit at the odd display.

His heart stopped when the masked one's hands closed around the other's neck. There was no struggle. The other did the same. ' _Like - they're feeling for a pulse point…?'_

Then the hooded one slunk back over to Jay, two hands on his shoulder, and looked at the masked one.

They tilt their head to the side, then to Jay, black eyes boring into him. He couldn't see the eyes behind them in the low light. He gulped. 

They took their time approaching him, but Jay didn't run or make a move, trying to stay loose. He knew they could read everything in his posture. But the hooded one was a reassurance to him, they remained calm. 

A hand reached out and poked him in the nose. He tensed a bit, and they flinched back, before reaching again. They poked at the nose slowly up to the bridge. He wasn't exactly sure how to feel being "appraised."

 _"I_ nteresting. _"_ It was such a peculiar sound, Tim's definitely, but lower, reverbing differently in the cave, giving him goosebumps.

"Did … did you just talk?"

They didn't answer the question, beeping again.

And after a moment, they were in his face, pressing the plastic lips to his own.

It was _weird._ But he's not complaining, lighting up red. 

They pulled back chattering at their companion. They begin - _grooming? -_ his hair.

"Less annoying then The Tim." Pronounced with an odd murmur on each vowel. 

"W-what?" But they didn't repeat the phrase.

After what felt like a debate took place, the hooded one was in his face, pressing the cloth face to his own.

" _Mmph."_ He hummed embarrassed. He really hasn't kissed anyone back before, just froze up stiff. _'Now's a better time than never.'_

He had poor to no experience in the matter but he was trying his best to reciprocate. He tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes, and feeling for the lips through the fabric, and his mind buzzed away, sound blurring out. He registered at one moment that he was wetting the fabric with their breath, like he was trying to make out with a sock puppet. He couldn't believe this, of all things, was happening. He licked out gently at the spot.

He pulled back wiping his mouth with his sleeve, flushed over. The two were 'talking' again.

Then the masked, slowly, cautiously, wrapped their palms around his neck, watching Jay intently. He didn't move, and thankfully, wasn't strangled.

"Good choice." Was it supposed to be a compliment?

Eventually he was being dragged down on his side. The masked one curling around him protectively. ' _Oh this is so wrong.'_ He was totally violating Tim's personal space, But could he even really escape this either? Was this consensual? Would he just have to put up with it and explained in the morning? Then the hooded one was in front of him pulling at Jay's arm, and they argued again.

They seemed to settle in, Jay's arm being pulled like it was a teddy bear.

He got over the weirdness of it, wanting to sleep rather than think about it all night.

-[Same thing from the creatures perspective]-

  
  


" **Their noses are always weird. Where is bone and where is flesh?"**

' _Cartilage.'_

"Interesting." He knew that word of English enough.

They responded with some sort of question, but he could never guess.

" **How do humans greet one another?"**

' _I don't know. Sometimes they kiss.'_

**"What?"**

' _They put their mouths together.'_

**"...odd."**

He pressed the lips of the mask to the human's. It wasn't his real mouth but oh well.

The human turned a different color, from a pale cream to a rouge pink. Yes yes this one was a lot more interesting than Tim. 

He pulled back.

**"How long do they hold it for?"**

_'I don't know.'_

They seemed to get it enough, as they sat there a bit dazed, staring at him.

**"Does he understand?"**

_'The Brian kissed him once and got the same reaction. I believe it is a good thing.'_ Ead heard said human imitating the click for "stupid".

He sifted through the puff of fur adorning his head.

**"Where are his antlers?"**

' _They don't have antlers dumbass.'_

**"Unfortunate."**

The human was less squirmy than most. Not trying to kick, bite, or throw rocks at him. Once it was a flaming bottle of liquid.

"Less annoying then The Tim." He spoke in English.

**"I told him he was not as frustrating as The Tim was. And he's certainly not an Alex. Do you think I said it right?"**

' _I don't know, he's just staring more at you.'_

**"Is that a good thing?"**

_'I don't know.'_

**"Why are all your answers I don't know."**

_"I don't know.'_

**"I am still worried he cannot understand me."**

' _If it makes you feel better I will try."_

The cloth mask pressed to his face, and they shifted a bit. He realized they were trying to feel for a mouth under the fabric. _'We must be doing something right.'_ Their mouth moved lightly pushing him as his lips seemed to feel him out. Now it was his turn to be flustered at such a strange display of affection. A pink tongue poked out at him before retracting.

**"So odd, a pink, prehensile fleshy bit behind teeth."**

' _It can taste things too.'_

" **Oh really? Is he trying to taste you."**

_'I don't know.'_

**"I hope he's not trying to eat you because he is poorly failing."**

_'I don't believe he was trying to. He seems happy.'_

" **Hmm their heart is a fast runner. Funny."**

_"You like The Jay, admit it.'_

**"I like The Jay."**

_'You're lucky, since your first impression was tackling him.'_

**"Fine … I will admit it, Alna made a good choice."**

_'Ke~ke~ke.'_

He turned to The Jay. "Good choice." He said in broken vowels.

**"Do humans sleep in nesting groups?"**

' _I don't know. The Brian sleeps like that. But their nests are more rectangle than round. They're comfy and warm like a nest.'_

" **Whatever it will do.** **_Harut_ ** **definitely can't get here."**

' _Does he even deserve a name any more?'_

" **He was born with it and he** **_will die with it."_ **

' _Sheesh, ok.'_

He pulled the human into a curve, plopping down on the leaves with a huff. 

' _Hey no fair'_ Signed Ead.

" **Mine."** He grumbled

' _You need to share!'_

 _"_ **Too tired. Shut up."**

' _You're annoying.'_

" **I'm not reading anymore."**

He settled for clinging to his arm, comforted by the slow thumping of his pulse.

_He had his family back. Even if it was in a bunch of shared bodies. He could manage that. Yes. It would be alright._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight btw I guess I call these headcanons? Idk facts?
> 
> So Alnnasik can speak perfect English with a slight otherworldly accent. He also knows that their names are just "Tim" or "Brian" and not "The Tim".
> 
> Eadala cannot speak any English for shit but knows a lot about human anatomy and such. Brian has deciphered bits and pieces of their language though. Because Brian sort of "accepted" Ead's presence, they're usually both conscious at the same time, rather than passing out like Tim or Jay.
> 
> Alqamar can speak a little bit of English but has never spoken to Tim because they dislike eachother for reasons. Tim also believes this is just himself off the medication.
> 
> We'll be checking in on Toby and Jessica next time AT RUSTY LAKE *hooray* I'm a dweeb
> 
> Also btw the "wishes he could scream" comes from this short video I've been thinking about for weeks now. I love it too much. 
> 
> https://vm.tiktok.com/wMs8oU/


	18. Prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica makes a phone call.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> The main reason for unemployment is the tall faceless bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to post a larger chapter later tonight, just wanted to tease this, hence the name "prelude"

"Please leave a message after the beep *beep*"

"Jay … it's me … Jessica Locke. Look, Tim said you lost your phone and couldn't call back, but I don't know who else to call. I'm just hoping maybe you, or even someone found it? I don't know if you were with him, but Tim, he's missing … like "on the news" missing. I tried calling him and he won't pick up, nothing at all. The police keep saying it looked like some violent struggle happened … but they can't find him. I'm really worried. If you could call back … any time, that'd be great. I'm … not sure what to do. I mean I've been ok myself - but I know you and Tim are friends, I just hope he's alright. Anyways, yeah, please call back. Goodbye." She snapped the phone shut. 

"Great…" Work was in 8 hours … She didn't want to go around tired again. But sleep was going to be hard to come by. 

She heard an odd - was that - a squawking noise?

 _'A parrot? Here? At this time of night?'_ She peaked through the peephole, and sure enough, on the metal railing, was a parrot.

 _'Maybe someone's pet got out.'_ She turned the knob slowly, door creaking open, thwarting her attempts to make any loud noises. But the parrot stayed, studying her with a yellow eye. She always found birds cute - but a bit creepy - with their odd head tilts.

"Uh … hey birdy birdy." She murmured. On closer inspection, it was holding a cylinder in its talons. 

' _Maybe it will have a phone number'_

She cautiously moved her hand out, and the bird didn't try to bite, in fact, offered the little metal tube to her.

It dropped it in her hand, and she un-screwed a lid, pulling out some curled paper. 

' _Bingo'._

Unraveling, she realized it was a flyer.

'To Jessica Locke'

"What are they, sending mail by carrier pigeon."

She received a squawk. Almost offended like, she imagined.

"Sorry, Grey Parrot."

 **"Squawk"** It looked quizzically at the empty canister. She offered it back, and in a moment, it was plucked back and they took off in a flurry of feathers. She watched it fly for a bit, concerned it was still lost, but it seemed determined on its course, so she went back inside, deadbolt-ing the door.

'Rusty Lake _Mental Health & Fishing'_

She flipped it over and read aloud to herself.

"We will help you balance the substance of your past lives. After completion of our mental health program, you will feel reborn." - "What kind of garbage is this? Sounds like hippies straight out of the 80's… there isn't even a phone number."

She set it down rubbing her clammy forehead. Another random fever. She dry swallowed some ibuprofen for the 3rd night in a row, and got into bed, resolving to stare at the ceiling, imagining little pictures in the paint swirls. She threw a cap over the bright red numbers of the alarm clock, knowing she would keep looking over at it.

She doesn't remember falling asleep but she moves the hat to see it's 4 am now. The pills at least had taken effect. She could hear birds already beginning to fight outside.

"Come on guys … can you wait one more hour?" 

And when they listened and went silent, it was the first cue to her something was up.

She walked to the bathroom sink, cramped in the studio apartment, taking down another glass of water.

The apartment shook violently underfoot. A moment of a second. Frames rattling on the walls. She stayed calm, for she knew there was a quarry nearby. What she forgot - the quarry only blasts at 11:10 on Monday. Today is Wednesday.

The third red flag was the other face staring back in the mirror at her. Just over her shoulder. She startled a moment, but remembered it was all a part of her mental illness. It wasn't real. It couldn't do anything.

" _We must go little one."_

The auditory was kicking in now. An "imaginary friend" she had since childhood. Except, she never imagined them on purpose. Just there. ' _Duh that's what a hallucination is, Jess.'_

There was another quake which cued the schedule of the quarry back to her mind. _'Yes that's right! They don't blast during the night …'_

She backed into the middle of the room, paranoid. There was only the sound of a buzzing fan and settling walls. She grabbed the pepper spray off her nightstand. 

' _The sooner we panic the sooner we lose.'_ That's how she had kept calm. With a masked stranger pulling her through the woods. To a gun being shoved in her face, and her taking it back. Panic would end her. So she did not panic. 

**BLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLRRRRRRRRRE**

She didn't see it, just knew, pushing through a crushing weight in her sinus. Ripping the latches off the apartment door.

' _Run.'_

She didn't stop to think, diving over the railing. Falling towards the parking lot below.

' _No!'_ Her hands came out in front of her trying to shield herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Parrots name is Harvey from Rusty Lake


	19. The Mill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica becomes the next to wake a stranger in a strange land. But she is not alone.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> "YoU CanT KIlL ME MotHERfUCkeR I'm aLREaDy DEpreSSeD"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to split this chapter up into 4 smaller segments to put them out faster. The whole thing is basically done plot wise, but I'm prevented from uploading because of small in-between areas I'm still struggling to fill in.
> 
> Updates will pick up a bit after June 12th, several big work projects due in the next few days. Trust me I'd rather be writing all day if a I could.

Lapping water and a slow rocking awoke her, wood poking into the back of her spine. Her eyes snapped open, jumping forward. She was in a wooden boat on the water. It was daylight. Kind of. The sky was an eerie wine red, trees and mountains blotting the landscape. She only just then noticed a man rowing the boat. Dressed in a fishing outfit.

"Hello?" He took no notice of her.

"Where are we? Who are you?" 

He just kept on _rowing_.

" _Umm, sir?"_ Was he deaf?

Her arms folded as she watched. He still didn't acknowledge her.

"Fine … guess we'll play the quiet game."

They were slowly making their way across the middle of the lake - she presumed it was a lake. The water reflected a maroon pink from the sky. 

Looking over his shoulder, she realized, a few hundred yards, they were heading toward a wooden mill. Still and desolate.

She tapped her foot anxiously, daring to peek over the edge. She could see a few fish near the surface. Wondering how deep it was did not help her circumstance.

"Sir … where are we going?" Still no response. His eyes were shut, almost meditating with each oar stroke. She didn't really feel like trying to put up a fight, if this was some kind of kidnapping. Atleast, not until they reached land. They were growing close now.

They pulled up to a well aged, barnacled dock. They stopped rowing, and finally looked at her. Calm, old blue eyes. Their head turned towards the pier.

"Should I … should I get out."

He nodded.

"Oh … ok." _'Weird.'_ She stood doing her best not to rock the boat. She threatened to fall for a moment when a fish hit the side, but her hand was caught by the man. He stood hunched over, and held onto her as she scrambled onto the pier.

"Are you going to come back? I don't know where we are." 

He nodded, pointing at the mill, and began rowing away.

"W-wait-!" But he didn't listen. She sighed, tuning to the dilapidated building.

"Hey I don't-" The boat was gone. Empty and flat water in their wake.

 _'Nope Nope Nope'_ she moved, deciding it was safer inside.

She had to shove the entrance in, dusty glass and old wood swelling in its frame. Still in her pajamas, she minded the floor for splinter while she squinted in the thin light. Barren, accept for a strange metal contraption in the corner, a cupboard, table, and wood stove. A ladder hung down from a closed hatch. She pulled at a hanging bulb, concluding the power was out as a puff of dust landed on her face, which she spit off.

Pushing the iron door, she walked down a small flight of stairs into a mossy basement, water green and murky, hiding god knows what. She sloshed through, to the breaker, flipping the switches all on. The lonely light flickered on, and she heard the signs of a generator as the place came to life.

Coming up, she stopped. Yes - it was unmistakable. Quiet sobs echoed from the main floor, feasing when she creaked on the top step. Convinced it was either a hallucination or - she hadn't considered - a dream. This might all just be a very weird dream.

A few wood boards bent up awkwardly, pointed and fractured. A shine caught her eye, a black key tucked safely under the plank.

She gazed around the room upon hearing a shuffling noise. There was one key hole in the cupboard, and the same place had emitted the sound.

" _Hello?"_ She unlocked the cabinet and jumped back to see a boy staring at her nervously. Eyes puffy and raw. 

"Ah! Sorry … you startled me." Her hand rested over her heart.

He remained wide-eyed.

"Are you ok?" She stepped closer. Nothing.

"My name's Jessica, what's yours?"

He scowled, mumbling " _Ticci Toby"_

"Huh?"

"Toby…" 

"Oh, it's nice to meet you Toby." She offered a hand out and only received a blank stare, before a pale calloused hand cautiously took hers and she shook.

"Do you know where we are? Oh! This isn't your house right? Did I break in? No wait - why were you locked in a cabinet."

"One question at a time …."

"Ha, Sorry." She smiled.

"I-I don't know ... woke up here." He didn't make eye contact. Jessica gave him the 'I know you're lying but I'm not going to push it' eyebrow.

"Then … someone else must've locked you in there… that's … frightening."

"My stuff is missing…"

"Well, I can help you find it … not like there's much else to do here." She laughed.

"....Alright." He unfolded from the spot one leg, then the other, planting then silently on the floor. He kept his head tilted to the left, awkwardly, away from her sight. He stood behind her, hunched over, hands pocketed.

She knew she was getting the cold shoulder, but who wouldn't?

"Well … I have no idea why anyone would put them in an oven, but might as well check…"

She kneeled, opening the old thing. It was thoroughly stained.

"Eww… no janitors around here I guess." She cracked. It had a series of drawers for cooking, which she checked over. 

In the corner of her eye, he'd gotten uncomfortably close to the oven door and herself, and she _certainly_ noticed fingers creeping out to grab the handle. 

She stood up. "Unless it's in the walls or something … or outside - I don't think it's on this floor … might be above. Dumb question, you haven't been up there yet right?"

The hand flew back to its pocket. "No … I was just in the cupboard. I don't know what's up there. 

Still wary, she tested the ladder. It seemed sturdy enough, she joked "Wow can't wait till I reach the top and this thing snaps."

"Hmph." Almost inaudible, but there was a tiny chuckle.

She hit the door with her forearm. She pushed. It wasn't locked … but something was definitely weighing it.

"Think it's - blocked by something. I really hope it's not a body."

"Could climb…"

"Hmm?" She made her way down.

"Could climb into the window."

"I guess … if there _is_ a window. 

Heading outside, Jessica peered out of the water.

"I don't remember there being an island …" They both looked at a white and blue building … castle like in architecture.

"Ghost building." He murmured, guessing it was some kind of attempt at a joke. Jessica huffed. "Yeah … wouldn't be the weirdest thing I've ever seen." 

"Oh really? Like what?" He suddenly took interest, eyes fixed on her with a deadly stare, rather than darting around.

"I don't think you'll believe me."

"Try." His face twitched a bit, moving to his lip, which pulled back slightly to show white teeth.

"Alright, don't say I didn't warn you." But before she said anything, she peaked around the side of the mill. It was on a little peninsula between the lake and a river. She stared out at the pines nervously scanning.

"Actually I'd rather not say…"

" _Why not?"_ She realized he was attempting to pester her.

"Because with my luck I'll probably jinx us."

"What? You think some _monster_ is going to come out of the woods and _eat you_?

"That's … pretty close."

"Ha!" Though he didn't seem to be mocking her. "The real monsters you should be scared of are human."

She walked around the front dock, looking up to see two windows above the front door, behind the big propellers.

"I used to think that, but then I thought, the ones you _really_ need to fear are the ones that weren't monsters to begin with … "

"... I don't think I get it."

"I'm not sure I do either!" She leaned against the building. But I once heard something like - 'if there's a gun being pointed at you, you pray to God that they are a monster … cus they want your fear, not your life, while a scared man will shoot you.' I don't know, it's been a long time. Not entirely accurate though." She smiled.

"Whatever." He took a running start, and with surprising dexterity, ran up the side of the building in sneakers, fingers digging in between the wood panels, then swinging a knee through the open window. 

_'Well that's convenient.'_

"It's open." A barely audible yell returned.

Inside, after climbing through the open hatch, she noted this room was much more liveable, a small area rug covering the floor, pictures and poetry hung to the wood walls, a yarn wheel, potted grass - and most surprising of all … a cow. 

"How … did it get up here. I didn't even hear any noise at all!" The bovine was content eating the grass from the pot.

"...maybe it flew?" Toby mumbled, searching around the room desperately. He tried the door on an antique clock, but it was practically bolted shut. 

Jessica noticed a picture construed in its place, and pushed it, revealing a compartment behind. Inside were two hatchets, one a bit older than the other - along with other equipment.

Toby brushed past her suddenly, close to jumping for joy.

"This is it."

He picked the axes up, Jessica noticing the way they were held, like an extension of himself. _He'd used them before_. But for what? 

Though, he visibly relaxed having them in hand, making Jessica feel a bit more secure. They were snapped away on a utility belt. He turned away, securing the goggles and face guard under his hair comfortably. Their posture changed to that of confidence. 

"Do you work in construction?"

"Hmm? … oh … sure." He replied.

"Cool. I just deliver packages."

"Well I -" He started.

" **SQUAWK"**

They both looked at the window sill.

"It's that parrot again!" She walked towards it.

"Again?" Toby asked.

Another vial offered, another slip of paper.

'Welcome to Rusty Lake. Empty your mind and enjoy your stay.' She looked past the parrot. A setting sun was casting the lake in a wine red color.

"I guess that's why it's called Rusty Lake … but how did …"

"What's a Rusty Lake?"

"I don't know myself … I got an ad though, from that parrot."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, and then I woke up here not too much later…"

"Heh … spooky."

"Glad someone's enjoying this …"

She sank against the wall, another had a headache fever combo coming on.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, Yeah - this happens a lot, I just need to sit down for a few minutes." She hated how the cotton pj bottoms stuck uncomfortably, itching when she worked up a sweat.

She tucked her legs to her chest, leaning her throbbing head back. It was bad this time, her skull wanting to split open. She didn't mean to, but nodded off, seeing the orange goggles that glared unnaturally in the window light. 

\---

He'd told a partial truth. And a partial lie. He really hadn't known how he got locked in a cupboard. But he painfully remembers getting here. Hiking through miles of foggy woods, shadows zipping just out of his sight. 

He came across a deer, beheaded. Originally he prepared himself for a fight with another killer. He was on someone else's territory anyways. But that never came. Instead a writhing silhouette of a person crawled from the deers carcass. All black in color, not even reflecting a bit of light. All except for two, glowing white eyes.

And these creatures would not _die_. They burst into bugs, appearing in some other form to taunt him. 

Out in the woods he'd come across a road, an intersection. A red light one way. Green the other. ' _Why do I remember this_ ? _Oh yeah…"_

He'd stared numbly, watching the accident replay from a different perspective.

Her arm had come to slam over his chest, cushioning the airbag that exploded in his face. That's why he lived. She was on the side of the hit. That's why she died. After they flipped 5 times. Because her blood didn't clot. 

He watches his younger self being pried from the crumbled wreck. A hydraulic tool pushing the door open like snapping twigs. To free him from a crumpled shell. He thinks it's the operator, the master, showing him a reminder of his agony. But why right now? 

He noticed, standing a few trees over from him, a firefighter - soot covered head to toe - also watching the wreckage - instead of doing anything.

Numbness turned to anger but when he opened his mouth to shout, only static came out. But they noticed him anyway.

Their coat came up too far, the same way he hid his own scarred mouth. Ash ringed blue eyes, lids heavy yet unblinking. An orange emblem snapped to a hel

Then they're walking over. Weighted boots - dull thuds on the forest floor. 

And if it wasn't himself, maybe he would've moved away from the advancing stranger.

"Yo kid -" Their voice was god awful and grating. A gloved hand landed on his shoulder, and something receded back across his skin. He could see his hands again, his arms.

"Careful, soul isn't looking too hot." They laughed.

"Well, this ain't my stop. See you on the flip side." And they were gone.

And then he was fighting black monsters trying to tear at him, and running through endless trees, dodging scene after scene of bad memories. He'd kept going until he ran into a newer version of himself. And they were genuinely frightened, thrashing at him. Who knows why he did, but he'd slit their neck open, and they fell back into a creek. And in its reflection, he saw the same black monster, growing over his body.

And then he woke up in the cupboard.

He assumed this was some sort of assignment. An isolated area with only one other person. The master - the operator, likely wanted him to kill this woman, and he would be returned to that forest, awaiting the next kill. Though every time had a chance, the static anger didn't intrude, and he, for once, couldn't bring himself to it.

He'd gotten close, her head naïvely ducked to look in the oven. It would be simple and mostly painless. Push her and knock her out with the oven door. She stood, breaking that thought. He had the feeling she was smarter than she let show. Never mentioned his odd proclivities, the nervous stutter. Called him Toby. But that pissed him off just as much. There were those who made fun of him, and those who tried to ignore its existence. Treat him normally, when he knew he wasn't normal. But at least she wasn't condescending. She spoke to him like an equal, not bringing him down, or acting like he would crack so easily. ' _Like my_ sister' His mind whispered. Oh that got on his nerves more than the bullies. Their _pity_. He showed them fear, and the pity vanished.

Her mentioning of monsters intrigued him. Perhaps it would give a clue to why she was a target to begin with. But he got nothing more.

 _'She's smart …'_ This would be a challenge.

Well he thought she was smart, until she straight up fell asleep across the room from him.

He didn't want to kill her while she slept. But once he did it, this would be over. He would return to the safety of those never-ending woods, and not these terror filled ones. He remembered what the man in the woods had said. 

But he'd already decided. 

Give her a painless death. He would at least do that much. A mercy from the constant fear hiding behind her eyes.

It would be a swift blow to the head. He felt bad, having to destroy her face to get the job done. A closed casket. If she even was found.

So he raised the piked axe.

"You better not." He froze. Impossible. No no nothing is impossible.

Her eyes were still closed, brows furrowed in pain, sweat running down her temple. Was she dreaming?

"I'm not dying to another guy hiding in a mask. Not yet. There's still stuff I have to complete. So don't try it. You will fail."

It could be a bluff … he lowered the weapon to his side.

"Why will I fail?" His eyes narrowed.

"Because I'm not ready to die yet."

"Many people aren't."

"I won't let you take me until I'm ready, so you'll have to be patient."

It was almost like a mother scolding her child.

"And because … that thing isn't here."

"..."

"You've seen it too, I knew the moment you first looked at me." 

"The faceless monster…." He mumbled.

"With a slender body…." She replied.

"Tall as the trees…."

"Blaring like the static of an empty television channel…"

"To … follow us…"

"No" - she said - "To make us kill, and to take us away."

Maybe the man in the woods was right.

"Just get some rest … it's probably been a long day for the both of us. If it makes you happy you can try killing me again later. Please, just for now, I need some sleep. Ok?"

"Ok." She leaned against the corner once more, until her breathing slowed with sleep.

And maybe it was an odd and misplaced trust, but it held. He laid down on the area rug, old, dusty, and stiff, but better than hardwood boards. And he did feel tired, like the setting sun had curled up in him and wanted a nap.

Fine. For now he would listen.


	20. Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Toby get a strange phone call.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Fucking telemarketers am I right?

A buzzing woke them at about midnight, still bright outside with the moon reflecting.

The phone. An old one. Out of morbid curiosity, Toby got up, poking at the old thing. Jessica was over in a beat, rubbing her eyes. He picked the receiver up, and listened.

_"ekallll ethhee ooot turraaahhh rooyyyy eevvvvig. Essnaaallaaaabaaa. Duuuam eb tusssum secccifirrcrassss"_

"It's just a bunch of nonsense…" he handed the phone over, but while she heard jumbled letters … it was clear. 

" _Sacrifices must be made. Balance. Give your heart to the lake. 11:05."_ The line died with a tone. 

"A mystery!" 

"What?"

"11:05…"

"You understood any of that?"

"Yeah, it sounded clear to me."

"... You're weird."

"Hmm, maybe-" she reached, turning the metal dial on the clock, it was sharp, pricking a finger, but she continued to "11:05", shaking off the pain.

 _Shick._ A curled piece of paper slipped under the door of the grandfather clock. It depicted an ink drawing of an antique knife. 

"Any ideas-" since when was there a knife on that table?

Involuntarily, her ears twitched to a small tapping. A scratching. Toby heard it too.

A hand burst through the side wall of the clock. 

"EEK!" She jumped back. A pale, manicured hand gestured for something from her…

The only thing she had was the knife. Maybe they were stuck? So she dropped it carefully in the outreached fingers. The arm slunk back into the darkness of the clock. No further scratching.

Nails reemerged … clutching a human heart….

She was going to throw up … but if her hunch was right … then this was … necessary. 

"This is above my pay grade …"

She took the heart, cold and _squishy._

_'Eww Eww Eww.'_ Toby seemed to care less, as she stumbled over to the window, throwing the thing into the shining lake below.

It was followed by a ripple, and silence. 

"What was that for?" Toby incited.

The sky cracked open with thunder, wind pushing the large panels outside the window, creaking to life. Water sloshed in the basement as the wheel began turning. The mill was working.

"What did you do?"

"I … I don't know…"

Another rumble shuddered the wood. Jessica leaned against the wall for support. The clock shook violently with the sky, until the locked door gave, and the body of a woman fell to the floor. **Thud**.

"Oh my god!" She hyperventilated.

"We - gotta go. We gotta go now."

"It's just a body … it's not going to bite you or anything." Toby reasoned.

"But if there's a body here, the killer's probably nearby too! Hell this might be their hideout or some crazy thing!"

"Don't worry! You've got me!" He gave a thumbs up.

" _Great."_ She sighed.

The body twitched. Then again. Nerves firing one by one.

"What was that you were saying about it not biting?"

"Wow, Never seen that before." Toby kneeled down to inspect it.

The spine cracked with energy, and the corpse shivered as a thick black mottled through skin, hair, and even the green, cube-patterned dress she wore.

Her head was strangely silent.

"Run."

"Eh?"

"RUN!" She grabbed his wrist, half throwing him down the ladder access before jumping herself, not bothering with climbing.

The front door wouldn't budge as she ran into it. The glass wouldn't break. She didn't know why but she knew they had to get _out. Out-out-out-out!_

The floor above screeched horribly, and noticeably sagged in the middle. She gasped being tugged backwards, reminded of the other presence. The boards snapped, and along with a headless cow (still alive … somehow) the upper room collapsed in on them. 

\---

" _It's time."_

\---

He stood in the cellar door frame, staring at the destruction, and an enclosing darkness.

' _Oh yeah.'_ He'd pulled her to safety. _He'd_ **_saved_ ** _somebody._ But when he turned to check, he was met by her body lying still on the cold stone.

"...Shit." Was she dead? When did she get hit? Hesitantly placing a hand on her back, he shook. Nothing. And this -

_this scared him._

He didn't like this old feeling, trying to weasel it's way back. That was a benefit of the monster, it took away the hurt caused by death. 

There was a god-awful screeching coming from the rubble and he slammed the metal door, locking it.

He cowered in on himself, hands pulling nervously at his hair, leaning against the door. Each impact behind him brought a whimper. He was about to wish for the master to come immediately, to make this humanity go away. 

But the aggravating, stupid words of that man in the woods would _not_ stop scratching around. He hated thinking. It was the one thing he couldn't throw a hatchet at.

And so finally he couldn't run anymore, and acknowledged the thought.

 _'Maybe ... I was wrong?'_ The fear of that possibility left him swallowing bile. Physical pain - he was blessed to never know - But there was the kind stuck behind his skull that he couldn't reach, couldn't pry out. 

He hated fear … but the fact that now he could actually feel it…. and the saran wrap around his brain - it was gone.

He didn't call the monster. He would handle this on his own. 

A hand broke through the iron, and he cut it into a cloud of moths. He stood in the door frame, ready.

The thing was only a bit taller than himself, but loomed none-the-less. A fuzzing angry mob of black, with eyes like headlights. He faintly registered that the wall had its own heartbeat. It pulsed along with the monster. With a down arc, he cut into their chest, and they split apart at the seam, only to reform moments later.

Wrath. That was all it felt. How many times would he have to cut it in half, before or stayed that way? 

" **Dddddlllllloooob eeeeb llliw errreeehhhttt"**

It spat something behind a stitched mouth, followed by what sounded like a jaguar roar.

"What?" 

The pulsing was louder, he breathed hard but the thirst for oxygen wouldn't dissipate. 

' _Shit!'_ It was a strange and horrible sensation as he fell to his knees, his lungs heaved as his heart went into overdrive. He ripped the guard down.

 _'There's no oxygen…'_

There was a distinct burn, but cold. 

He fought it for as long as possible, but his muscles were shaking and giving up. He could barely focus on the monster approaching him. In fact … it wasn't moving. Just standing.

' _I'm not calling I'm not calling I'm not calling for help.'_

Both from the numbness, and the lack of oxygen he didn't feel himself being tugged, only noticed the ground below him shifting. The orange view fell away as the goggles were cut off, and something latched to his face, and then another with a snap.

"HUHhhhh" ' _finally_!' The starved feeling fled away. He noticed a bit of resistance as he breathed out, and a suction noise - like he was Darth Vader or some shit.

"Almost got you that time pal!" 

_'Who's there!?!'_ he darted, but whatever was on his face had fogged over.

"Gonna have to try again there brother. Before it switches rooms on you again."

"What?" He sounded muffled.

"You're in a different room then you were before. You can't breathe here friend, it's all nitrogen. I'd recommend going back."

"W-whehere! What? How-aw-?"

"Don't worry I can help you with that!"

He registered a solid knock to the side of his head, and it went dark.

\---

She awoke, upside down, the blood rushing to her head. Everything hurt. Especially her feet she noticed. Cold metal.

They were shackles, clasped around her ankles, and she was hanging from the ceiling. Her head was in a closed metal box - claustrophobia - but she controlled it.

' _Nothing's hurting us at the moment. Panicking will only make this worse. Breathe_.' There was a single window in the box, like a TV screen. The room was - dark - No, not that - fuzzy. Like the light was still on, but nothing else. Like … the sun was missing.

Her eyes were blinded by white, forcing her to close them. And she felt a tugging at her temple. Something pleasant. Something sweet. A happy memory that she could not place. She could hear water splashing, children laughing. It was … alright.

It was ripped through by a searing black. And a more forceful knock at the front of her skull. She felt an awful hot flash shiver up her body. She clamped her fists and closed her eyes. It was an awful feeling. Yelling - yes she knew this one. As the person next to her stepped forward blocking the assailant … who was it. _'I remember them from somewhere_.' 

And **Alex Kralie** \- She wouldn't forget that name. Yelling and gesturing that lighter at them. That device. Something she knew brought death to Amy - and others. _There had to be others. And they were next_ . ' _Did I die then?'_

No. The woman with black eyes and a porcelain face had tackled Alex Kralie. There was a gunshot, and Jessica screamed, fearing she couldn't hear anymore. So many people. So much porcelain. ' _I'm made of porcelain. And I'm breaking.'_

_._

_._

_._

_'No we're not! A heart beats in my chest and I know for certain it's still going. I'm still here.'_ Years of panic attacks and episodes taught her this. She would not be beaten.

' _I'm not a victim.'_

Slowly, surely, it cooled, faded, and she opened her eyes to pitch black. No. Darker, much darker. And she was afraid. Gulping, she whispered.

 _"Toby? … Please help me…"_ No answer. The power had gone out and she was stuck in place, but she had a feeling something worse was happening outside this contraption.

" _It's so dark…"_

' _Breathe Jess you got this. Breathe. Breathe. I believe in us!'_

Her arms weren't bound. If she could wriggle them out -

"Jessica!" She heard yelling.

"Toby!? I can't move!"

"I-m - it's-s got me!"

_'Shit.'_

She started flailing. ' _I have to help myself.'_

Loud crashing was heard from above, the sound of a pot shattering as some scuffle occured.

_'I have to get out!_

And maybe it was the adrenaline, but she managed to push herself just enough to get out of the box. With muscles she didn't have, she bent in half, scratching at her legs to climb, and _\- 'Yes!'_ the shackles snapped off, and she tumbled to the floor with an "oof."

There was fresh wet blood sticking to the walls, which she ignored, pulling a loose pipe from the wall. She grabbed the ladder rungs, leaping up two at time, and rammed the hatch open. It was still thundering outside, cracks of lightning illuminating the disaster area of a room. She swiveled around, and almost missed it. It blended with the shadow of the corner. 

Concealed by it's form, was Toby, looking like he'd been run through a tumble dryer. It angrily squeezed his neck.

"HEY!" It's head snapped around unnaturally.

"Let go!" She fashioned the pipe at the monster.

Her throat itched, and with a cough she spoke in a double voice: 

" _P_ **_l_ ** _e_ **_a_ ** _s_ **_e_ ** _l_ **_e_ ** _a_ **_v_ ** _e."_

The ghost violently spasmed as Toby pried it's hands from his neck, breaking free and rolling across the space.

" **there will be blood** " the voice it emitted hurt her ears. 

_"Y_ **_o_ ** _u_ **_r_ ** _m_ **_e_ ** _m_ **_o_ ** _r_ **_i_ ** _e_ **_s_ ** _b_ **_e_ ** _l_ **_o_ ** _n_ **_g_ ** _t_ **_o_ ** _t_ **_h_ ** _e_ **_l_ ** _a_ **_k_ ** _e_ **_n_ ** _o_ **_w_ ** _. L_ **_e_ ** _a_ **_v_ ** _e_ **_t_ ** _h_ **_e_ ** _m_ **_a_ ** _l_ **_l_ ** _b_ **_e_ ** _h_ **_i_ ** _n_ **_d_ ** _."_

They raged more, fingers twitching and scratching at their bottomless eyes. It slammed it's head against the wall. Toby scuffled behind her, picking something off the ground.

" _A_ **_l_ ** _l_ **_t_ ** _h_ **_a_ ** _t_ **_y_ ** _o_ **_u_ ** _t_ **_o_ ** _u_ **_c_ ** _h,_ **_y_ ** _o_ **_u_ ** _c_ **_h_ ** _a_ **_n_ ** _g_ **_e_ ** _."_ It shrieked bloody murder, before an axe went flying at it. It fully dissipated before contact, weapon hitting the wall with a chink. It did not come back.

They stood there for a moment in the empty room.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Toby yelled.

"... _I'm ready to go now…"_ she mumbled.

"That was awesome!"

" _I'm definitely ready to go now."_

"It was totally afraid of you! What the hell did you do!?!" 

The sky still thundered black outside.

"We're - we're not safe yet. It's not over!"

This time they made it out the front door unabated.

They made for the tree line - but Toby skidded to a stop. "I - don't want t-ttoo go out th-ere."

"Well where should we go?" She heaved.

Something was crawling out of the lake, dragging itself on the dock.

"We have to go!" She pulled his arm. He snapped

"THERE IS NOWHERE TO GO!" The clearly pronounced yell surprised her. She backed up.

"There's-" His anger melted back into anxiety. "M-ore in the woods."

"We have a better chance out there then in a closed space. We can't stay!"

She reached her hand out in gesture. "Hey, you said it yourself right? Maybe they are afraid of me? Just stick with me."

He looked her in the eye, and received a smile. A nervous, tired, and dark smile, but reassuring just the same.

"...Ok." 


	21. Getting Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Toby flee The Mill. But it's never over.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> I don't know about you but having mental breakdowns in the woods with my besties is a great pastime

They took off behind the mill, running through a thinner part of the woods. They could feel eyes watching but didn't stop. A hundred more yards, and they were running across a muddy, recently plowed field. 

"There's got to be -" she came to a stop "There has to be - a house or something nearby."

"Fuck that!" 

"Eh?" She heaved.

"Did it ever occur to you, I may or may not be on the FBI's most wanted list?" She couldn't make out the look behind the orange lens.

"Honestly … I kind of forgot about that part." She huffed.

There was a genuine chuckle coming from behind the mouth guard, "You really are weird."

For the moment, nothing dared leave the tree line, and Jessica finally remembered the fact she had no shoes.

"God I hope there's no rusty nails in this field…"

"Well there's a _Rusty_ Lake." Toby cracked.

Jessica began laughing. Then Toby. Then it got to the point both were maniacally laughing in a muddy field in nowheres-ville - Just a bit more than what was considered normal.

"HA HAA" she caught her breath. "Holy shit - we're going insane." Toby replied, "A bit late for that…"

"I don't think they're coming after us out here… so we can keep walking or - just sit here until dawn, I guess." She thought out loud.

A hatchet was raised in the air, and she followed the end of it, pointing at the moon.

"Yeah, but what happens when that cloud comes over. Nothing … or something."

"Everything and anything." she sighed.

They continued walking, until they came along a pathway in the grassland, marked by stones.

She didn't want to complain, but it was frigid out in just the pj's. And her feet were getting blisters. And they were being followed by a man eating monsters. And they didn't know where they were. And this place seemingly defied every natural law. And she was walking next to … a serial killer.

She'd gotten that vibe the moment she saw him. She'd worked in gas stations night after night and always knew _the look_ . Some were grave, but some tried to hide it with a gleeful lying smile. And maybe - while she didn't believe in that crap - she had some sort of 6th sense for danger. The "I've killed another human" look. Whether it be a murderer, a war vet, or an unfortunate accident - it all showed the same way in the face. But it did startle her - once when a small woman had come in, shyly bumbling up to the register with a pringles can and three gatorades - that in that shy smile, _her eyes said "blood."_ You really don't know a person.

His obvious sadness threw her off. She had a fatal flaw of empathy for seeing people upset, regardless of who they were. Combined with the fact, this could all just be an extremely vivid dream, she was less fearful than she thought would be a normal reaction. But she darted back to those words "I may or may not be on an FBI's most wanted list." 

' _What does that implicate … was it a joke? And if he's serious … What the hell did he do? What crimes do you have to commit to end up on that list?!?'_ She seriously had no ideas.

 _God … maybe … maybe she shouldn't be here?_ Her heart rate increased as she mulled it over - senses returning.

' _I did have that really weird dream but...'_

_'Oh my god he could kill me at any second … I wouldn't be able to stop him. Oh god.'_

"What's wrong?" She jumped.

"Nothing, just thinking about things."

They continued in silence.

"Hey … can I ask … if you uh … did kill someone, why?" She was terrified yet emboldened.

There was no answer, and they walked on.

" _They made fun of me."_ It was barely audible and yet something screamed in the back of her head 'HALF TRUTH.'

"Oh …" she didn't want to push it further. This was both awkward and nerve-wracking. 

"So are you going to pretend to ignore it?" It was delivered with a sudden venom, and she could feel eyes burning through the orange lenses. 

"What?" 

"Everything's that's WRONG with me." He stopped now, and she froze.

"Are you going to try and PRETEND so you think I'll let you live!?!"

"I don't und-"

"No one understands!" Now she took a few steps back, as a glove dangerously thrummed the blade of the hatchet on his hip.

_'Shit why can't I keep my fat mouth shut!'_

"You were going to try and trick me, weren't you!"

It was turning dangerous the longer she stayed. _'Tell him to calm down … no he'll just be angrier.'_

"Trick you how!?!"

"To get _away_."

"If I wanted to do that WHY would I be here!?!" 

_"You tell me."_ The malice leaked out, but oddly enough, it seemed forced. Had he really switched like that or was he faking it? Something was wrong with him. Running sounds like a better option. 

_So she noped the fuck out of there, so glad she took track and field in highschool_. 

She didn't check to see if she was being followed, only flattened her feet as much as possible with each stride, springing forward. _Get away from her_ e. Her soles were screaming at this point but she used that to fuel her adrenaline.

Soon she burst into another muddy field, and this time she could hear a pursuer. They hung back. _'He's waiting for me to get tired. Shit!'_ There were no words, no sounds except for footfalls and her breathing.

She didn't even pause at the tree line. This time, a sycamore forest. He _was_ afraid of the woods earlier. Though, what was more dangerous, the woods or him? She wasn't sure, nor really cared at the moment.

She slipped into the fog of the woods and prayed it gave some semblance of cover. Many things occurred in the shadows around her, ears twitching at the noises.

The mist hid her, but also hid _him_.

But so far, nothing else jumped out at her from the edges of her vision.

That is until she ran smack into a suit.

She looked up to be met - not by a tall monster - but rather a normal man -

A normal man with the head of a crow 

"Good evening, madam." The crow man said, beak unmoving.

She screeched at the top of her lungs, taking off in the opposite direction.

She didn't hesitate when she came across a beheaded deer, nor a ghost hanging from a tree. _How far did the woods go? How long could she run?_ ' _How do I keep getting myself into these situations?'_

There was a fallen tree, angling up … maybe…

She ran up the incline quickly scraping her feet and palms. But near the tree tops, it was dense enough. Just enough. She tucked herself into a nook. Bugs skittered around her and the dead bark - she gulped and stood still. While she couldn't be seen, she was also blind to the ground. 

He stepped and made no sound. She wondered how many times this had happened. Who sat in her place before? 

"You _used_ me, tried to trick me!" Echoing through the woods nearby.

The next one came from below.

"Did you think you'd get away with it? How dare you!" 

Now he was just rambling nonsense! Or was he trying to get her to make noise? She stopped her breath. 

Yes - that was definitely a small hatchet, flying through the air, somehow breaking through a 3 foot thick trunk, and yes, she was definitely squealing as she fell. 

She landed awkwardly on her heel, and felt more than hear the snap. She bit down a hoarse cry. 

The whole canopy was falling around her. This was fucking rediculous. There was defying the laws of physics - but this was totally destroying them. ' _Fuck it, Tall faceless men exist, this can happen too…"_

Her ankle throbbed but it was going to hurt a lot more if she stayed. Toby wasn't visible. Still up in the trees somewhere.

 _"Get out of here."_ A voice pawed in the back of her mind. 

She couldn't bear any weight on the leg.

' _Dammit Jessica come on!'_

She hopped, using the thick brush for support.

"You're only making this worse …" Right behind her, in a forlorn yet looming voice. The blunt side of the weapon smacked her in the back, sending her over a hill.

She tumbled through the ivy, flying down the slope, landing in the muddy leaves unceremoniously at the bottom, just missing a boulder. Her heel screamed and she spit out a gross leaf.

" _I'm_ _so sorry_... _"_ A whisper, before her head was pulled back and the hatchet came down.

 **_Ping!_ ** The hatchet bounced off to his surprise. And when he looked, he saw the fading of an opalescent sheen. ' _what?'_ He didn't want to make eye contact but when he did -

It wasn't normal. He blinked and it was gone.

But now it was her turn to be **angry**. "HOW DARE YOU!" She landed a blow to the back of his elbow, and snatched her hair free. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS - SHIT!" She backed up, pointing a finger accusingly. "YEAH - YOU HEARD ME - MOTHER FUCKER - I DON'T CARE, I'LL SWEAR ALL I WANT!" This actually earned a look of confusion. "THIS KRALIE BULLSHIT - WASN'T IT ALEX WHO PUT YOU UP TO THIS SHIT HUH?!? YOU'RE TRYING TO TORTURE ME! I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I HATE THIS!" She dragged in a breath. "I'm so -- FRUSTRATED! With this teleporting, other worldly bullshit! AGH! WELL LISTEN HERE BASTARD, I won't be manipulated like this! I'm not some fucking toy!" She backed up against a tree, fingers in her hair.

"What the hell are you on about!?" Finally he spoke normally. 

"That faceless monster - that's what this all is! A game to him, and you've been sent to kill me, just like the others!"

"... Faceless … monster." His eyes blanked.

Wait.

They had already had this conversation. Back in the mill. Hadn't they? He'd already tried to kill her and he'd definitely seen the same beheaded deer from earlier.

_'What am I doing?'_ Despite his best attempts, the raging adrenaline was beginning to drip away. 

"I don't think he sent me here…"

"W-what? He?"

" _He_ … the monster you're talking about…" A full thud surprised them both, as he actually dropped the weapon. He stared at his open hand. Open and free. He … had - _a choice_. There was no order to kill. It was his decision right now.

"I don't think … he sent me to kill you…"

She stared.

"I - I don't even know how I got here! I just assumed… no I would've killed you by now if that was true…"

"I…"

"Do you see that!" He flexed his fingers. "I don't - have to kill you. Do you understand!? This has never happened!" He looked both elated and terrified. 

"I dddonn'ttt -" the stutters caught up to him and it was _strong_ \- " _h_ havhave to do annnnuh thing. I'm -"

She took the chance, charging forward throwing the hatchets into the trees as hard as she could. He watched as they spun out in the leaves, and stared back at her. He almost appeared vulnerable. But she wouldn't flinch this time. ' _I'm going to live!'_ She brought his head down on her knee, a blow directly to the nose.

" **OW** !" He roared out. He ripped the mask off his face. Blood began pouring from his nostril. He touched it lightly, hissing at the _pain_ . ' _This is pain._ ' He kept poking at it. "Ouch!" He didn't mean to yell but it fell out. It was so unique, sharp and powerful.

"Whoa." His eyes crossed to stare at the purpling skin.

"Stop … touching it!" She yelled.

"But it feels weird…" he stuck a finger up his nose and twitched involuntarily, though not from a tic.

"Stop that! That's so - Gross!"

He didn't stop though, and kept tapping the spot.

"You're making it worse!"

"Does it feel like that for everyone!?!"

"Does what!?"

"Pain!"

"YES!" She switched from "I hate you" to "concerned mother" in a matter of seconds, and seized both of the hands away from his face.

"Stop."

He shrunk away at the closeness. 

"Leave it alone."

" _Ok_." He quickly piped.

She grabbed the side of his head and wrenched it upward.

"Wh-what the helllll are y-you doing!?!"

"Making sure it's not broken, dumbass."

"Oh …"

She looked up his nostrils, only sidetracked momentarily by a rather large gash in the side of his face that she'd failed to notice. Satisfied she let go. "You're lucky." She stood awkwardly on the twisted ankle. "Look, I don't know what exactly happened back there, but if you try to kill me again, it will hurt a LOT more next time! You understand?"

" _Yes mam_." He was being scolded by a woman barely older than himself like he was in detention.

A strange animal made a strange noise in the strange woods somewhere.

"We need to go back to that path …"

She felt like shit. Her pajamas were totaled with mud and tears, and her skin bled from the scrapes and nevermind the broken ankle - her other foot was leaving a footprint and stung. All of that, and Toby only had a broken nose to show for it all. ' _Should've hit him a few more times…'_ She grumbled.

A step forward and she wanted to scream, cringing at the raw skin on dead leaves.

Toby stood there, twiddling his thumbs and trying to bite his fingers nervously through his gloves, and then wandered off, collecting his stuff and putting it away. He returned, refusing to meet her seething gaze.

"I could carry you." He blurted out.

"Are you doing that to be nice or attempting to make up for trying to cut my neck open?"

"... Yes."

"Fine."

They were about the same size, and she feared maybe it would be too much, but she was hoisted up suddenly without trouble, the world's most unconventional piggyback ride. Which was really _weird_ being an adult. But certainly not the weirdest thing today. 

Toby eagerly made his way away from the forest. The night seemed to be going on forever.

What if it happens again …"

"If what happens?"

"Like I go … try to … h-hurt you again … like the first two times…"

"Wait that happened - I thought I was dreaming."

"I don't know, you did look like you were talking in your sleep."

She burst into a dark laugh. "I guess I have a sixth sense for this kinda thing then. I don't remember much of it actually…"

"Oh …" He murmured off, dropping the question.

"I have to ask, How did you cut the tree up like that?" 

"Oh … I don't know … I guess I get really strong from the adrenaline."

"Yeah - nobody gets THAT strong. Hell your hatchets should've snapped in half."

"Well I guess I don't know then … I never questioned it." She snickered. 

"You might be a superhuman and you didn't notice it? What did you walk out of Area 51 or something?"

"I wish!" He suddenly straightened, and she almost fell backwards.

"That would be so fucking cool!" 

"Maybe."

"How did you do that weird thing with your skin?"

"Eh?"

"Your skin, it was all rainbow-y and stuff, and shit just bounced off!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Really? You didn't notice!?!" He looked over his shoulder.

"You got these crazy eyes and all that stuff!"

"Still no clue."

"Hmmm…. Guess we both don't know why." And the subject was dropped.

Her leg muscles still strained when she hung from the ceiling. 

"This sucks…" she sighed.

"If … if it makes you feel better umm you're like the second to beat me…"

"Not really." 

It was silent for a few minutes.

"Who was the first." She inquired, despite learning earlier that asking history questions was extremely dangerous. Though - he answered without a hitch.

"Some guy in the forest with a mask. Dude was kinda fucked up though. Cool mask though. Creepy."

"I've had enough of masked people for a lifetime." She mumbled.

"Yeah, he mentioned … you know. It. Too."

"You mean the faceless man."

"Yeah … I don't know what you call him but I used t-to call h-him - that's not important."

"There's more people than I thought who got mixed up with that thing."

"Mixed up?"

"Yeah … I'm not sure exactly how it works but … everytime it got close, things turned for the worse. Like suddenly, everybody's trying to kill each other."

"He said something similar … actually … I'm really glad he said something. I'd still be-"

"Possessed? Killing people? Running around the woods in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah … basically. I don't know … it didn't feel that way until I ran into that guy. It's still weird to me. Like I woke up from a long nap. You get what I mean?"

"Too well." They stayed silent another minute.

"It's embarrassing…"

"Don't worry about it right now. Wait till we're actually somewhat safe. Then you can contemplate all you want.

"You know now that I'm thinking about it, He did mention this Alex guy." 

Jessica's brain loaded.

"What did this guy look like?"

"Uh .. idk just a dude. Dark hair, dark eyes, oh yeah and these sideburns too-"

"YOU TRIED TO KILL TIM!?!" She slapped him on the forehead.

"OW WTF!"

"THAT'S MY FRIEND IDIOT!" She pulled on his face in anger.

"Oh he's your friend? Das kewl."

"I'M STILL MAD!" 

"Hey -"

"What!?"

"There's a light coming from those rocks…"

Indeed, as they approached, they weaved into a maze of boulders, getting closer to the soft light.

Jessica looked up to see a ghost resembling a giant badger looming above.

"Look out!" 

It swiped at them, leaving claw marks in the rock behind. They were moving really fast now and she held on for dear life. They reached a small space in the rocks, where the light emanated.

"Oh hell no I'm not-" but she was already being thrown down the tiny gap.

Just in time too, before a clawed hand swiped right behind Toby, as they tumbled down the crevice, and rolled to a stop in a much larger space.

It was a small cave, though, furnished to the nines with antique furniture and books. While a scone on the wall burned, there was a thick layer of dust on everything.

Shadows of ghosts danced over the ceiling of the cave, scaring Jessica for a moment, but they were nothing more than shadows. 

"It kinda looks like someone's weird office." At the far end of the cave, there formed a wall blocking the rest of the way, lacquered in old red wallpaper. In the middle, was an old style lift, enclosed in a metal ivy cage.

"Think it still works?" Toby murmured. It looked like it had been used recently, unlike the rest of the room. Jessica sat against the wall nursing her foot.

"I don't know." 

A pounding noise, and they both noticed a solid metal gate embedded in one wall.

"I don't think we can stay…"

"But we can't go back the way we came."

They both stared, but each impact shook the cave ceiling, stalactites threatening to break and fall.

It was thrown open to a bunch of shadowy ghosts, outlined by a bright pool of water. _'So that's what caused the shadows …'_

The hatchets were already dropped from their holster and she watched Toby hack one in half without delay. 

Supported by the wall, she stood on one foot, staring down one of the ghosts.

_'Maybe … I can scare it away like earlier?'_

She didn't feel that same twinge of bravery like before - neither did the thing. Her voice was lost. It's shadow danced across the cave wall, a man with the head of a boar. Maybe even angrier than the last ghost. Though - she could swear it seemed to be angry at Toby more than herself. 

Time froze, It made direct contact with her, despite the lack of eyes.

 **"one of us. your place is already taken."** Each syllable was followed by a hiccup … like it was struggling to speak that way.

"What?" 

" **One of us**." They pointed at a mirror behind her, and she looked. It was only her reflection. But a small - something, fuzzed on the front of it.

Someone was yelling at her far off, but she reached out to poke the strange dot.

The mirror burst into shards, and those shards reflected herself, engrossed in darkness. ' _It's … me_.'

She was pulled out of the trance - literally and shoved into the now open elevator.

She spammed the button as Toby slammed the cage door shut. They were crammed safely in the elevator, leaving the ghosts behind with one final glare and descending into darkness on a rickety pulley.

Where? They didn't know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybbbbbeee I gave them anime powers idk
> 
> Btw going back and editing the past chapters. No plot changes or anything, just grammatical stuff, vocabulary, and trying to improve word flow.
> 
> Also I have finished a 3 month long project I worked on with my friends, a pmv for Marble Hornets, would love for you to see it. It's not the best but I'm proud.  
> https://youtu.be/0Z__RGb_pik


	22. But Nobody Came

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian watches Alna and Alqamar have a marital dispute like it's a movie theatre.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> It really is a marital dispute I got nothing else to say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nother chapter coming later with a flashback from a different POV

**Flashback**

**(Jay)**

_He was in hell - certain of it. How many days had it been this time? This was worse. This was so much worse. He was waking achingly cold with that mask frozen to his skin painfully tight._

_Did he eat or sleep during the times he couldn't remember? All he knew - at each point he awoke, the wound in his side was a lottery_ . _Sometimes fine, other times - it ached so much he couldn't breathe._

_What the fuck did it want from him, being thrown again and again through the ringer by the operator. It had gotten in his brain at some point ... or another. Was this Alex? Was this … Alex?_

_He was practically screaming for sleep - and when it came, there was no relief. Slow agony._

_His heart ached for anyone to speak too. Before, every time he'd awoken, he'd tried to drag himself to find Tim._

_One time it was being poked by a homeless man on the side of an interstate._

_Once he was in the back of a cop car and when he woke up again he wasn't - he didn't want to know how he escaped._

_Another, on the roof of an abandoned blockbuster which had a distinct odor of formaldehyde. No idea about that one._

_He actually made it. Once. Tim's front lawn. Waking up when he tripped stepping up the curb (the bullet wound was particularly bad) busting his knee on the concrete and falling back into the street. Soaked in a puddle that had collected around a storm drain._

_-_

_Whatever was left of it._

_Of course it had been burned down._

_Just his luck._

_Ash and a few straggling beams of concrete and plywood, and a giant blue dumpster out front. Tch - Like Tim was going to clean it up or something._

_Why would Tim stick around? There was nothing to tie him here anymore. The last thing he remembers of that encounter is backing into a car so hard the alarm went off._

_It was early spring he believes,_

_Yes, it had to be. Because he woke up to muddy ground, purple and yellow flowers peaking their heads out._

_It was spring,_

_When the man in tan returned._

_Jay stumbled around like a drunkard - the other didn't hear him - barreling into him so he couldn't escape and_ **_finally_ ** _ripped the damned hood from their face._

_He didn't know them. Or maybe he did. He couldn't tell anymore._

_"_ **_W_ ** _H_ **_A_ ** _T_ **_I_ ** _S_ **_W_ ** _R_ **_O_ ** _N_ **_G_ ** _W_ **_I_ ** _T_ **_H_ ** _M_ **_E_ **!?"

_And they looked terrified - then anger -_

_mouthing "Jay" in disbelief._

_"You did this to me! Why! What did I ever do to you!" He screeched like a banshee._

_"You could've gone after anyone! You could've killed Alex yourself! Why me!"_

_His nails dug through the gloves into the man's wrists._

_"Why." He cried, shaking._

_"Why did you want to kill me … please, please tell me."_

_Before an answer formed, he glitched back to the mangrove swamps. Leaving Jay_ **_alone._ **

_And it was back to the mask._

_Stuck in the back of his_ **_skull_ ** _, looking out at the world._

\---

It had been maybe an hour of respite before Jay fell asleep and Alnnasik took hold.

Even after all this time, getting used to awakening in a new body was difficult. His eyes darted up to see Alqamar. _Three - two -_

" **WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"** Alna shrieked.

He jumped back **"..."**

**"RUNNING AROUND ON EARTH FOR 2 DECADES AND SAYING NOTHING!?! YOU DIDN'T EVEN CALL!"**

**"It's not my fault everyone was late!"** Alqamar defended.

Brian stirred awake watching an unmasked Jay and Masked Tim chattering in the strange number-dot language again. Probably nothing important. _Still kinda funny though._

**"BUT IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT FOR GOING OFF ON YOUR OWN! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THE OTHERS TO WAKE UP!"**

**"YEAH WELL I WASN'T REALLY GIVEN A CHOICE! IT WASN'T EXACTLY SAFE LANDINGS YOU KNOW."**

**"AT LEAST EAD TRIED TO WAKE EVERYONE UP! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING!?!"**

**"HEY I COULDN'T CONTROL THAT, THIS MAN IS AN IMPUDENT BRAT WHO DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING I WANT TOO! HE KNOCKED ME OUT HALF THE TIME WITH THOSE PILLS!"**

**"OH OH, AND LET ME GUESS, DESPITE SPEAKING ENGLISH YOU NEVER TALKED TO HIM?"**

**"..."**

**"YOU THINK HE WAS JUST GOING TO GO ALONG WITH IT!?!"**

**"EAD'S DID! THEY GET ALONG GREAT!"**

**"BECAUSE EAD'S NOT AN ASSHOLE!"**

**"TAKE THAT BACK! EAD'S A HUGE ASSHOLE!"**

**"NO YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE!"**

**"SO ARE YOU!"**

**"NOT AS BIG AS YOU!"**

Thinking about it, the two sounded like really angry cats.

" **BESIDES!"** Alqamar broke the back and forth. **"I DID CALL."**

 **"Oh -** **_really_ ** **?"** Skeptically, but at least he stopped yelling.

Brian thought the other would've taken over for this, but he seemed to be cowering now. Oh well. He was content eating his berries and watching this couple's quarrel play out.

They were interrupted by Brian suddenly running to throw up in a corner.

**"Did Jay not warn him about the berries? Foolish fool."**

**"I did call. And before you say anything! Not just once or twice - I did for years! I called out and all I got in response was Harut on my ass. No one came … no one."**

**"What about Eadala?"**

**"He finally did show up but … by then I couldn't do much. I already got smacked upside the head enough, and the human proved stronger than he looked."**

Alnnasik watched him silently.

**"I don't think I got anything much done… I can't even remember half the times I was awake. Najima was there once - but then he was defeated. And then Ead just kept trying to provoke all of the humans to stir to action … we got Aietidal's human out of the way but-"** He growled **"-The Tim hid her from me."**

**"A-and then The Jay died - and Ead disappeared after trying to provoke The Tim one more time- and Aietidal wasn't there and and … I thought you all left..."**

He hid his face, despite that it was a fake.

Alna made an odd facial expression and leaped at him.

 **"MY PRECIOUS I'M SO SORRY!"** He weeped, peppering kisses all over the mask - _'Some human thing I guess.'_ Alqamar thought.

 **"I WOULD NEVER LEAVE YOU MY ANGEL! I'M SO SO SORRY!"** He was sheepish - but admittedly liked the attention.

 **"Oh my sweet sweet baby I missed you so much~"** He said, coddling him. 

**"You missed me?"**

**"Of course I did! That's a stupid question! You're stupid!"** Alna buried his face into his shoulder.

**"stooooooop."**

**"No."**

**"Hmph."**

He was being kissed all over and finally found the skull mask and shoved it on Alna's face.

**"It's so weirrrddddddd!"**

**"No it's not! It's adorable!"**

**"Humans are gross!"**

**"Ok that might be true…"**

Brian came back from cleaning his mouth to find they had seemingly settled their dispute and we're cuddling together like two love birds. He snorted walking by thinking, ' _Gee, get a room.'_ He was then caught by the arm in an iron grip and pulled into a snuggle pile like he was being drowned in a plastic ball pit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably guess who Aietidal is based on context, and if you're really a crack theorist like me you'll probably know who Najima is.
> 
> The more and more I plot this out istg it's just turning into an anime I need Jesus.


	23. "They"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Brian "talk".
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Brian's a hoe and will make sure everyone else becomes one as well

**Flashback**

**(Brian)**

_It had been a few months. Everything was coming to a close. Atleast, Brian thought. He held onto the thin thread of hope that the one in his head meant good. They'd come to a slight mutual understanding - they were trying to get the best for everyone. However, Their methodology vastly differed._

_He thinks his brain is split down the center, and with every given year the line blurred more and more, the less he recognized of "Brian". Slowly becoming morphed with an entity he didn't entirely comprehend._

_It was - loosely put - sadistic - had a sadistic way of getting what it wanted. Emotionally pushing people to the edge of sanity, but he wasn't sure what for._

_He always watched as it antagonized Tim, trying to coax him into becoming whatever that was behind the mask._

_But what he failed to understand - was the others. Why bother Jay? Alex? Why poke at the itching beast?_

_Was it really just entertainment? But no, it didn't_ **_feel_ ** _like that._

_Ache. That's mostly what it was. Wanting to turn back around and acknowledge the presence of his once friends, but the being issued him on._

_Planning planning planning planning._

_And he took the blame._

_Jay was dead before he knew it._

_Tim was going to_ ** _kill_** **_him_** _._

_But Alex still needed to be stopped. He wondered what it all was really worth to this thing._

_He had wounds that would appear on his body - worsen with time, until he warped to a mangrove bog of festering mud and rotting roots. This healed the pain, but this place wasn't safe either._

_Ever since that monster damaged his throat, this place was corrupted as well. The ground would cave or burst into flame - no safe haven._

_Like a seal coming up to breathe - but risking the savage jaws of a polar bear._

_There is no safe haven._

_He learned to live with the fact that he was never, ever sheltered. While he slept, ate, breathed._

_But he didn't have much of a choice anyway. This ghost had long since overtaken his shell._

_He didn't care._

_That's what he repeated. Not when Jay died, not when all of his friends were trying to kill him. He didn't care._

_But_ **_he is a liar._ **

_The wound in his chest was already festering when he was tackled. 'Shit!' Who had snuck up on him? The cloth was seized and pulled. Even he didn't know what he looked like now. He didn't smile though. No - not at this._

_"WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?"_

_\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/_

_"_ **_WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?"_ **

_One face._

_Two voices._

_Jay and -_

_'No'_

_He tried to force the name forth but - per usual - nothing came._

_"You did this to me_! _Why! What did I ever do to you!"_

Worded like questions - but they were not, only venom and gnashing teeth.

_"You could've gone after anyone! You could've killed Alex yourself! Why me!"_

_Flesh and keratin nails dug into his sleeve._

_'So close-'_

_"Why." He shivered._

_"Why did you want to kill me … please, please tell me." But how is he supposed to answer something that isn't a question?_

_Well, the other wasn't going to answer it either - and in collective shock - ported away to the big, leaving Jay there in the old concrete jungle._

_He didn't see this form of Jay again._

_Not on earth - anyways._

\---

Jay was walking back and forth mulling over the map, whispering what they could only imagine to be rocket equations. Tim had woken up to this - and after an hour - still doing so. Instead of interrupting, he just … watched. Sitting under the shade of the vines, feeling exhausted already. Brian walked over, in a sleeveless shirt, carrying two heavy pails. 

"Does … does he do this regularly?" Brian nodded.

Step by step, they were attempting to repair a broken friendship, suffering years of turmoil. At least he wasn't running away this time.

"So … why the cryptic stuff all these years?" He might as well just put it straight out there.

Brian sat down next to him. Thinking. Tim let him.

" _You are you, but who are you?"_ He finally rasped out, and held a finger up, walking over to the van, and returned with crumpled yellow paper, a rusted pen, and - his breath caught - the masks.

He wrote "me". Then drawing an arrow. "It" and shook the frowny face - which Tim saw now was literally just an old black tank top. 

He pointed at Tim - then the mask.

'We're possessed.' he wrote.

"Wah- what does that mean?"

Brian underlined the sentence.

"By what?"

Brian shrugged.

'They don't like ⨂.'

"Wait - does that mean you're just like me?"

'Yes and no.'

He drew a straight line between "me" and a sad face.

'Two halves.'

Next to that: 'you' - 'it' and then he furiously scribbled between the two.

'Muffled.' 

"Let me … make sure I'm getting this right. We are … we're not crazy - exactly. But we're "possessed" by "something" - Which I doubt I'd believe if I hadn't seen a tall faceless man." Brian nodded yes.

"And you are … you're - compatible?" Brian smiled nodding further.

"And … I'm not?" 

'That's the gist.' 

"Jesus." He was silent for a few minutes, processing the indescribable information. Possessed? Really? Is that … the cause of his symptoms - or just some? How far did this thing go?

"So you are - and I am … does he know?" 

'yes and no'

"And he's … the one with the skull mask."

'yes'

"Does he know?"

Brian stared at the ground before shrugging. And then wrote.

'He tried to ask but turned halfway through. I think his other side is keeping it a secret? I don't know.'

"...But why would it do that?"

'power'

"What?"

Dark eyes flicked back and forth watching Brian write.

'He's scary. Don't know what they are. Not human. Not ghosts. Not fake. Jay's is a trickster. Be careful.'

"Alright … I'll keep an eye on him..." He rested his chin on his fist.

"You know what I really wanna know though?" He asked, attempting to lighten the mood. Brian looked at him confused.

"Why is there a 1987 Cargo Van, washed up on a beach, no damage whatsoever, with an automatic lock, despite the fact there's no battery in that thing - I checked." Brian snickered.

'Not the weirdest thing here. Going to get worse.'

"Great. When doesn't it."

He rubbed the scruff on his face groaning "God, I haven't had a cigarette in like … 48 hours." 

Brian gave him a thumbs up.

"It's not good, I'm going crazy."

Brian gave him another thumbs up.

They enjoyed this silent companionship for a while, as Brian churned a bucket of clothes.

"How … how do I talk to Jay?" Brian quirked his head.

"I just, I mean he's … like - different. He isn't that same … you know - Jay."

"I mean he's still Jay but … stronger? I don't know - more alive?"

Brian gave him a shit eating grin.

"What … what?!"

He then gave him three eyebrow raises and a bunch of winks and Tim still had no idea what the fuck he was getting at.

'Somebody's got a crushhhhhhhhh-'

"What are we teenage girls?"

Brian wrote 'yes'. 

"I do not."

'How far has lying got you before Timothy?' 

Oof. Ok that one hurt.

"Ok fine. I -" God how was he going to speak without tripping over every word. His hand scratched at the back of his neck. He couldn't make eye contact and finally bumbled out -

"I guess I kinda like him and I don't know if he would even feel the same like with all that we've been through and what if I screw up or something even before I thought about it but there wasn't really ever a good time and oh my god I literally tied him up in my house and he -" The last part was still a fresh wound. 

"He died." It was just now sinking in. He _died_ . He was _dead._ Tim was upset of course but he refused to think about what that meant. He was gone. And Brian was gone. Alex was gone. And this was all probably some wonderful dream he'd wake up from. 

' _No, god no, please don't let this be a dream … I can't handle that. I can't wake up.'_

"I don't know how to talk to him about … stuff. Not anymore." He sighed. "What's wrong with me…"

Finally daring to look up, he saw Brian staring at him with an annoyed expression.

"What?" 

He rage-scribbled on the paper.

'WE ARE LITERALLY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE WHO CARES JUST GO FOR IT - I DID!!!' He circles "I did" aggressively.

'WHAT IS THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN HE'S OUR FRIEND!"

"I'm not going to just go for it! I've never even held hands with someone! Oh my god what if he tries to kiss me. Is that even possible. What do I do?" He kept rambling to himself like this, embarrassed that he was acting like some poor highschooler.i

Brian rolled his eyes, and clapped his head between his hands and planted a chaste kiss right on Tim's lips, before his brain could buffer, Brian turned him around and shoved him toward Jay. He stared back around at Brian who threatened him - swiping his fingers in front of his throat.

He did his best to casually shuffle over, trying not to appear as tense as he was.

"Uh hey Jay."

"Hey Tim, what's up?"

"Uh nothing nothing… what are you doing?"

"Well, I'm trying to decide this stuff, I think it's binary translated into Morse code but I can't figure out if it's 256 bit or 64 or" blah blah blah blah blah. Tim was staring at Jay and realized he'd become absolutely smitten with him. He looked so happy trailing over his code.

He snapped back to attention when Jay asked "So do you need anything?" 

"Umm." He resisted the urge to hide behind his hand again.

"No just uh … wanted to say uhhhhhhh -" his brain decided to die right then and there.

"You have nice … skin. Yes."

"… thanks?"

"Bye!" And he noped the fuck out.

"I told him he had nice skin! Who does that!" He yelled. He bit down on his fingernails. 

"Oh my god I'm an idiottttt."

Brian was dying, falling over and slapping the sand with silent laughter. It was like Tim had reverted to some poor middle schooler.

The next thing he saw, turning back, was that Jay had wandered into the ocean

"What is he doing now!?" Jay was swimming out rather far. Brian shrugged.

"Isn't that dangerous!?" 

'He'll be alright.'

He believed Brian - but he also didn't.

He stood on the shoreline increasingly anxious, but refusing to step in. He'd had the same outfit on for 48 hours now - and wasn't too keen on ruining his only clothes in the salty ocean.

After the longest half hour of his life, Jay came splashing out of the water in nothing but his boxers and Tim looked away in his own shame - though he wouldn't admit that his eyes flicked over a few times. Jay had gotten a lot tanner being here. ' _Stop it Tim!'_

"I GOT" - spitting water - "I GOT A KEY!" Surprising Tim as Jay jingled it faintly.

"But … to what?"

"I don't know, I'll figure it out though!"

Then Jay did something peculiar - moving his hands - almost like …

Brian responded and they went back and forth like this.

"I didn't know you knew sign language Jay."

"Hmm? I don't."

"What are you doing with your hands?"

"Speaking in hand language."

Tim pinched his nose, sighing. 

"Whatever."

"It think if I match this key up to the coordinates I found it at I can translate that into code and then blah blah blah-" 

Brian dumped a bucket of water on Tim, pinching his nose, and threw a pair of clean-ish brown scrubs at his face.

Tim had his hands full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna warn y'all, were like what 20+ chapters in, and this is about 1/3 of the plot so far? Buckle up homies this is going to be a long ass wild ride


	24. You Are My Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay and Tim have an argument.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay really has a warped way of thinking

He gnawed on _something_ \- meat desecrated on a stick, and was buried to the nose in papers. They had been under the ocean, and he worked carefully to flatten and dry them without tearing the old parchment, blowing around under their respective rocks in the breeze. 

He was engrossed - not even realizing he'd started chewing on the stick. The orange blob was sinking into the ocean, and he worked by firelight, not tired in the least. 

He'd hold these mysterious "maps" to the light and then scrawl in the sand with a long stick - almost dancing like a madman. 

It didn't _seem_ like ToTheArk code, harder to spot and to the normal eye it was just a map. But seeing past the disguise, decoding was a lot easier. More sensical and coherent.

Someone else wrote these with intention. But why buried so far under the surf? 

This is what he'd been doing to distract himself the past few days. He _knew_ they had things to talk about and rather than face it, he was going with "avoid at all costs." 

Truth be told, he'd driven his anxiety to an all time high with hypothetical questions the others could possibly ask him like "How are we going to get home?" "How long are we going to be stuck here?" And "What's going on?" Because he had no idea of those answers and to be honest - he didn't want to go back. Probably couldn't go back. This was much more pleasant. Being preoccupied with mysteries in an environment he knew that thing or Alex was going to come marching in.

And then there was the mask. Terrifying. He figured he didn't want to know about that - how sick he'd gotten. 

Besides … the ocean blurred those thoughts away. _Maybe he was becoming a mermaid?_ He chuffed at that.

"Hey Jay - need any help?" Tim had practically snuck up on him and he jumped.

"Oh! No! I'm good."

"Well, I mean, you've been at this all day - have you figured out anything?"

"I'm working on it."

"Oh … maybe if you had help you could get more done? And actually get some sleep?"

Honestly...right now he didn't want this. He was so close to the water, to silence and coral reefs and _ignoring his emotions_.

"No I'm fine. I'm going out right now."

"Jay it's night time - isn't the water cold?"

"No." He was already wading out - fearing Tim might grab him.

"Umm … ok … be careful…"

He plunged under the water, and kicked out far enough that no one could hollar at him before resurfacing.

The reef was beautiful at night. Glowing, colorful, alive. Like a city under the water. He wanted to see how far he could get out, maybe even find the edge. He focused his course on the sun, eaten up by the horizon line.

Time didn't exist out here. Only fish and dolphins, coral and kelp, shipwrecks and treasures. Every color in the universe was barfed like a Picasso and it was gorgeous.

He did think about Tim though. About Brian and the masked men. They seemed to like him … but Tim. 

' _What if he's pretending?'_ The thought intruded. _'What if he's just being nice to get along well. What if he actually hates me. Oh my god he has to hate me! Is he really just acting? What if he had been misinterpreting everything? Maybe he does mean it… no no he's probably just trying to be good and put up with me because we're stuck on an island! Oh my god oh my god oh my god.'_

Something poked out in the endless starry void, stealing away his attention. Approaching it revealed a small wooden dock with a roof, settled on a sandbar. In the middle of nowhere.

" _Prrrrrrttttt."_ He nearly gasped in water. Looking down at him from the dock - with large yellow eyes - was a black cat.

"Uh … hi there kitty. Whatcha doing out here all alone?" 

"Mrow!" They took a flying leap into water and swam up to him, and dug it's claws into his scalp scrabbling up his head.

"Ouch ouch ouch ok ok ok." He picked the cat up and shifted onto his back, placing them down on his stomach. It was the best idea he had at the moment, not wanting to leave the cat alone. He carefully did a backstroke, and the cat stayed put.

"Ok fella - uh just hang on a little while ok?"

He returned towards the island.

\---

Jay didn't look until he physically bumped into the sand, and the cat happily ran up onto the shore. When he stood it weaved in between his legs, protesting loudly, demanding.

He kneeled down to pet them - they continued their orders and lightly bit him.

"Ok ok I'll get you some food alright? Come on!" 

Returning to the beach campfire with a cat was certainly a surprise. Jay picked fish off the bone and through it to the feline. It didn't give two fucks about the other humans present. Fish was the number one priority for the critter.

Though after a bombardment of questions and three filets, it contently befriended Brian who virtually _swooned_ over the baby.

As soon as that was taken care of, Jay was already back to the maps, having mostly dried by now.

Tim approached.

"Hey Jay? I think you should get some rest. It's been a long day - now you have two cats that want to snuggle up to you." Tim joked dryly. "One's a bit overgrown - _right Brian._ " Brian stuck his tongue out and continued cooing over the fuzzball.

There was no reply. He kept scribbling. _Fine._ Direct action then.

He grabbed Jay's writing hand. "It's time to go to bed."

"No I'm almost done - I've just got a few more things and I know I'll have a break."

"Then let me and Brian take a look! It will go a lot faster with three instead of one."

"You don't HAVE to do anything I'll figure it out!"

"What, do you think I can't help?" Tim snapped - quietly so.

"No! No uh not that just -"

"Words Jay."

"It's just - you shouldn't have to do anything, I mean you didn't ask to be here."

"But I'm here already, I might as well…"

"Yeah but …" He hugged his arms to his chest. Such vulnerability in him made Tim wonder how the hell he punched this man in a parking lot.

Brian walked off into the trees with the cat, figuring they needed some privacy.

"Alright - why do you not want me to help?"

"It's not that I don't want your help, I just … I don't want to drag you into this again when you just got out! I can handle it - really!"

"Jay, there's obviously no "getting out". I realize that now after everything. The only way "out" is "through.'" Cliche, but true.

"But why should you have to get involved!?"

"I WANT to get involved, I don't want to stand to the side smoking nicotine and swallowing pills all day!"

He lowered his voice to stop shouting.

"I want. To. Help. You."

" **B** A **C** K **O** F **F**!" His lips were suddenly pulled back baring his teeth. _'Alright … weird.'_ A moment later - a ringing echoed off the water and hurt Tim's head, clutching his ears. It faded as soon as it came and Jay didn't seem to particularly notice - ranting at Tim. At least the terrible volume was gone.

"-do you care!? I'm not your friend! And I'm certainly no replacement for Brian! I - I don't even understand how you're not pissed being around me, I would be!"

Tim's face wrenched in pain.

"You … didn't even think we were friends?"

"Why would I? it's my fault you're in this mess! Seriously! I should've just left you alone. I probably would've gotten the same amount of nothing done anyways."

"That's not-"

"Yes it is! I got nothing done but filming my feet for 4 years on a fricken YouTube channel no one watches! 

"What happened to documenting your experience? You said you wanted to help others with the videos. What happened to that!?"

"I was an idiot! A big dumb - fool!"

"No you're not, you're Jay! A big dumb idiot - who was doing all he could. That's how I see it!"

He rubbed a hand through his hair, exasperated. It took no genius to tell something was off with him. 

"Well you know Tim, I DID die! Maybe Jay is **gone**!"

Tim's heart jumped and he clutched a hand to his chest.

"... Don't say that … god please don't say that."

Seeing this, confliction played out on Jay's face before he blurted out: "I thought if I died, maybe you'd be a little sad - b-but you'd move on with your life!"

He breathed in harshly. "Why would you care soooooooo much over a guy who constantly screws things up! Oh my god Tim - you said I tried to stab you! You should be _glad I was gone."_

Jay regretted saying that last part.

Now Tim understood why he was able to punch Jay that time.

_"'Glad.'"_ His voice deepened in his chest. "I should be _glad_ \- **_Jay._ **" He growled.

' _Uh oh.'_ Jay thought.

It was really taking all of Tim's restraint not to walk over and slap the dumb look off his face. ' _Or kiss him.'_ ' _No!'_ He mentally slapped _himself_ in the face.

"Jay Jay Jay Jay Jay … he mumbled, bringing his nails to his mouth, staring at the ground -

"YOU WERE DEAD JAY! I-I-I COULDN'T HANDLE IT! I COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT - EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY! YOU AND BRIAN AND ALEX WERE ALL DEAD! I HATED MYSELF!" He shouted, certain Brian heard that.

"O-oh…" Jay was bright red.

"Jay - in the most honest way a lying man can be … I will _die_ if I watch _you die_ again."

Quiet.

"R-really? Really … you care about me - that much." 

"Yes Jay." 

"Oh." 

Tears welled and he choked. Trying to hold back sorrow in his embarrassment. Tim walked forward, gently taking his arms before the man could fall over. 

"No one's … cared - not even my... why? Why me?"

"Are you serious? Because you're you!" Tim almost laughed incredulously. 

"But I -" His eyes darted around.

"Shh~" He wrapped Jay in an embrace, rubbing his back. He strained for a moment, before bunching his nimble hands in Tim's shirt - tightly.

"What did I do for this?

"I … Jay. You're allowed to receive affection you know. You don't have to earn it. You can just - have it." 

"Oh."

He rocked him gently, calming him down, heart rate evening out.

"Let's go rest ok? You need some dinner too."

"Ok". He sniffed.

\---

They sat around the fire inside the cave, a general air of mirth, eating as Brian signed stories at Jay who translated, but could barely finish through fits of laughter - Tim still hadn't figured out how he understood.

He was talking about the awkward musical night they had during Marble Hornets, remembering Alex saying "Guess what's battery powered." Jay snorted.

"Dude, even I was thinking there was no way he was going to have decent music. 

"Ah music, who needs it! Just buy a kazoo or something." Tim cracked.

Brian stood, swaying to an invisible beat and made his way over to Jay.

He pulled him up by the hands and began leading him around, dancing on the uneven floor.

How did Brian make it look so easy? As he bent Jay backwards with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face - all he needed was a rose between his teeth. He winked at Tim - knowing exactly what he was doing. ' _Jerk.'_

Jay was swooped back up giggling. There was no doubt Jay was shy - but he definitely wouldn't say no to any attention; practically bubbling over in it. 

He sat Jay back down and bowed, receiving a small applause from the man.

Then he plopped down next to Tim, waving his lashes. Tim rolled his eyes.

The two quietly talked - Brian was using Tim as a human pillow, face implanted into his shoulder blade.

"Wait" Jay stopped , "Earlier … you said Alex… does that mean…"

"Alex is dead." He said bluntly.

"He's … really…" 

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah … yeah just … it's weird you know."

"Trust me I know."

Jay broke the air, preventing impending silence.

"How did he … go?" 

"I don't want to lie too you anymore Jay."

"Ok."

His throat was thick, he couldn't meet those deep set eyes.

"I killed him."

"Oh."

"Well … first, you dissapeared and I went back to my house. He broke in - poured fricken gasoline all over the place, and lit it up with me inside. I got out but the house was totaled."

A small hand laid over his own which trembled in his lap.

"Then … we fought at Benedict Hall. He tried to shoot me and I-" he looked up -"I stabbed him in the neck with your knife … and then I blacked out, and left Alabama a week later…"

Jay rubbed his knuckles soothingly.

"So … you won." Jay looked him in the eye as he rubbed a hand down his neck.

"I don't really consider it much of a win…"

He was met with a calm smile.

"I knew you could it. I always had a feeling … Alex would probably get me … but you. I really hoped you'd make it Tim." His cheeks grew rosier in the crackling light.

"So Alex … he really, _really_ did shoot you."

"Yeah, in my side. Hurt like a bitch. I don't remember anything after that."

Tim gulped, getting Jay's attention.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I -Can I see it?"

He glanced, but pulled the left corner of his shirt up to the rib. 

It was an angry pink and spotty, looking more like a burn wound.

"I know it's kinda gross."

He pressed a cool hand to his stomach, making it flinch away. 

"That's cold."

He lightly traced the marred skin there, soft brush of the thumb over small depressions. Jay shook softly, saying nothing, hand hiding his mouth.

"What's wrong?"He pulled his fingers back.

"It - It tickles."

"PFFT!" Tim nearly spat, and bent over in warm laughter, scaring Brian and the cat awake.

Jay - he had never heard that sound before …

_It was beautiful._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm real tired right now I'll edit any errors out later. Loved writing this chapter.


	25. Faster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay, Brian, and Tim reach the mysterious city.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> "Ok so who forgot to mention the part that people live here?"

(<https://youtu.be/qFsc2ZB_C0U>)

This morning, Jay shot up, estranged by an odd dream. But not out of fear. 

Within the minute, he had shed his clothes and dipped into the shockingly cold water - chasing the fantasy. He called and it answered. Without a ripple - he dispersed.

It really was a gorgeous dream. He had sat on the steps of a fountain, angelic voices singing, echoing with water droplets.

A beautiful man too. White hair and olive skin, standing over him at the top of the stairs.

" _Keep precious things inside you … or you will lose them."_ The man said, kneeling to his height, handing him a large egg. A clock tower belled out, and he hid the egg under his dress. 

It cut to him sitting in a cave-like temple.

The man spoke again - " _Since when have you been here? As many days as there are bottles?"_ Looking around the room - hundreds of glass orbs, reflecting a hundred faces back at him; He awakened upon realizing that he was not Jay, but a little girl, pale in skin with thick locks of white. And sad eyes. He thinks - he knows - they share the same eyes.

Back to the or sent, he was standing on a glass ocean. Staring once again at the dreary city. The sky looked the same as it had in the dream. The same blue stone and architecture. The wind. The only thing different - the noises of gulls that flew above.

His stomach wanted to turn back - and up. But whenever Jay feared a place … it was the right way to go.

The clear, cool water bubbled up his skin again, returning him to the island. The sun was already past ten o'clock - and Tim was just about having an aneurysm at Jay's disappearance - Brian sat in the sand with a hand on his chin - cheek squishing all the way to his eye.

"Jay! Don't scare me like that!"

"I just went swimming, like I do everyday."

"Uh … yeah but …" He ran out of words.

"Besides I found something! Really important!"

Brian perked up and walked over. 

'The city' He signed.

"Yeah, the city - I think I might know how to get us all there."

"City? What city?"

"I'm not sure what city but I've got an itch!" Jay was digging through, haphazardly packing things - before Brian stopped him.

"What?"

Brian picked up an axe, gesturing for him to follow … so he scooped up the maps.

"We're going now? What about food? What about-"

Brian shook his head.

"What do you mean now? I can't swim - how ever far! I still have no idea what you too are talking about." Tim protests - the only slightly rationale one left.

"I don't think we have to swim…" Brian was impatient, standing in the surf. Jay stood at the edge thinking.

"Let's see …" He grabbed onto Brian's hand.

"Here … let's try … hold on to my hand."

"Jay are you sure you didn't eat some really weird mushrooms?"

Jay nodded "Trust me." And well Tim couldn't argue with that. Taking one of Jay's hands, then Brian's, standing in a circle like some awkward seance.

"Just umm try to relax."

Awkward silence.

"Is something supposed to be happening?"

"Shh…"

Tim felt really _really_ dizzy, stomach churning - but he focused how Jay said. He could still feel his feet in the murky sand - but he moved. He didn't open his eyes, even when his balance left and he splashed backwards. Unconscious.

" _In such a hurry are we? Why don't you take a rest?"_

He sat on a rock, above a swaying mass of statues, smiling at him warmly. They all had some minor differences, but came from the same mold.

" _Mother. Mother. Mother."_ They all whispered, reaching for his arms and softly pulling him down, leaning forward - towards the water.

He was ready to be taken by them. His bones cold, heartbeat slowing.

A warm hand jostled him.

"Jay? It worked, I think. Jay? - We're here … wherever here is…"

"Wh wha where?"

"Earth to Jay?"

"Where did those people go?"

"It's just us Jay …"

"Oh …" _'Weird.'_

"MEOW!" The cat stood up on the shore perfectly dry and grooming itself.

"You know what - I don't have the energy to question it anymore."

There was a loud ringing noise - the cat let out a prrt and ran towards the brick and mortar.

"Ok so who wants to be the first to suggest we investigate that sound?" Jay turned, practically jumping at the bit.

"We're gonna die…" Tim sighed.

Brian tugged both of their arms. Anxious to get going.

\---

It was a steady incline up to the brick roads, each building an abandoned blue and gray color, rackety shutters and broken doors - desolate. Each step made a metallic echo, despite the solid ground.

"Should we check these places?"

Brian lead him on.

"Al-alright." Whatever. Brian was obviously desperate to move forward.

"Looks pretty abandoned - but by all horror movie logic, I get the distinct feeling we're being watched." Tim mumbled.

"I mean … look on the brightside, maybe there's showers?"

"Since when have you ever looked on the bright side."

"... Shut up." Jay grumbled. The ground rumbled. 

Wait. 

It was soft - but growing. The wind picked up, bringing a ghostly whisper to their ears, a screeching whistle, and the smell of … kerosene?

Jay swore the clouds thickened by the second.

The wind whipped and cooed. High and low. Pleasant and grating. Was it speaking to them?

"Oh yeah we're definitely in a horror movie now."

"Isn't that how half our lives have been?"

"No - it's mostly been like some shitty documentary, not a horror movie.

Brian was undetoured in course - until the wind made such a shrill beep they took cover.

_Hush._

It was quiet - their mouths moved - silent. Colder than a graveyard. Voices stolen from their throats.

Shadows danced across the roof, as the fishermen filed by, chasing some invisible creature with their harpoons. 

Sound returned. 

"What the hell is that? Jay! What the fuck is that?" Tim cursed.

"Shh." Jay shoved a hand over his mouth, "I don't know, but I've seen them before, I don't think they're after us. Let's just … wait and see how this plays out."

"That has never gone well for any of us…"

Down the road, a silhouette broke the mist, walking towards them, dressed head to toe in a thick coat, huge boots hitting the pavement - 

_Thump. Thump. Thump._ Like a heartbeat.

The outline of a helmet dwarfs their own head.

Brian reacted with a shrill whistle, bearing his teeth. A warning?

"Jay I think we should go-"

"Wait. Hold on. Let them get closer."

"Why?"

"Shhhhhhh!"

 **"LT.2.#10"** Em-blazened on the front of their headpiece, face covered over by a respirator, window painted like one of those old Kabuki fox masks. The rest of them - a dark gray suit - metallic in luster, reflective strips thickly covered in ash.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump_.

With each step belts and straps ringing with each thud. The pulling of Velcro and sliding of fabric. Metal air tank and plastic halter clinking against one another. They held an awfully familiar axe, a pike head, like the one he had - right now that Brian had strapped under his hood.

"Hello?" Jay peeped, for his sleeve to be pulled - Brian to his left, antsy, with the black guise pulled over his mouth. 

Twenty feet away. He could hear the rhythmic puffing of the apparatus. They weren't slowing down and they certainly weren't talking.

"I think we should go…" But Tim was interrupted.

A loud wailing - an air raid siren - no no different than that. More like a tornado warning? Nevermind. The sound rang through the dead city like a banshee. It was loud enough to reverberate in their chest, down their feet, into the ground. Doom.

The figure stopped and turned around as the statues from earlier leapt down into the road. Some crumbled on impact, some missing limbs, and some were intact. They shuffled into a lousy line around the being. 

A white smoke leaked out from the lapels of the coat, out from the bottom, curling sinisterly to pool on the ground - liquid like in nature.

A terrible crack - _SHICKKK - the slicing of ice._

His eyes barely caught it. Stopping inches from his face, a spike of clear blue. The liquid had solidified - exploded, shards destroying the statue and the building surrounding. A few more inches and they would've been caught too. 

He was breathless - "Run" - a whisper. They beligned for the alleyway, just missing a large metal pole impaling the concrete with a crack.

The alley was dark. No one followed - Not that they could hear over their heartr Brian stopped, peering up at the cloudy sky - then - dragged them back, as a ladder shot down - trying to bracket them in. 

The trio returned to the road where "10" was waiting.

"Hey you! What do you -" But Brian had already pulled his weapon out and violently swung wide. Too wide, too open. They were much shorter than Brian, and with the helmet smashed him in the chin, disarming him at the same time. 

Brian wiped a bit of blood from his lip, cut on his teeth.

Now the enemy had two weapons - 

apparently having no trouble holding them both. 

A sharp whistle from above. 10 didn't make a move. 

Coming down behind them from the ladder, a taller one - clad in a similar uniform - except their helmet was polished white and silver. 

"What the hell is happening." Tim whispered as they backed up into the road, huddled together. 

The one in silver was signing something too the smaller, glass face shield also painted over with a unique kabuki style. It wasn't the same as sign language, but not horribly off. Still - none of them had any idea what was going on. 

Brian was _absolutely fuming,_ like the very smell of them made him trigger-happy.

"Brian it's ok we'll think of something, just hold on." 

Tim noted the emblem, " **CHF.#7** " ' _Chief?'_ The one in white stepped forward, gently so, carefully reaching a gloved hand out. They bent their knees, trying to appear smaller - not really working with their added height and bulky gear. 

Jay turned watching the taller make contact with Tim - failing to see Brian moving.

A foot in front they stopped, Tim looked at the glove - their mask - back to the glove. 

" _Are they …"_

Tim reached his own arm out, slowly, for a handshake. Before the glove could meet him - A gross tearing noise was heard.

"Bri- No!" They whipped around to see Brian's sleeve sprayed in dark blood, '10' stumbled back, a gnarly gash cut all the way through into their chest - part of their coat was cleanly cut away and fell, revealing a woman's torso, red oozing into a white shirt.

Brian had no weapon. But before Jay could process the implications of that -

A flash of white - the tall one let out a deep, muffled shout, nailing Brian in the side, linebacking him into the adjacent building.

Brian snapped out of his strange funk, raw fear directed at the one dragging him up the wall by the jacket. The - he believed man - wailed into Brian, connecting gloved knuckles to his face in pure rage.

"HEY! GET OFF HIM!" Tim yelled, hesitant, then charged. 

Tim only made it to their jacket, before the female was up and tackling him to a dead lamppost - wound not bothering them any longer. She dispatched him quickly, kicking his knees out, and kicking him to the side.

"Stop! STOP!" He might as well be screaming underwater. 

Running boots echoed off the streets, closing in on them.

"JAY **GO**!" He didn't want to leave Tim, he found his feet obeying the order, and he fled into the concrete jungle.

He didn't go far. He couldn't abandon them. Not again.

He slipped a hand into his pocket - pulling the alluring plastic out, staring into its eyes.

"Hey … if you … if you're there … please, can you help me?"

He slipped it on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These numbered people do have a symbolism - but I'm not going to say it outright. There will be more clues later.
> 
> Also Tim is perpetually stuck in the "What the fuck is going on" loop. Sorry Tim.


	26. Somebody's Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alnassik fights. Kind of.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Alnnasik: "oh dur I wonder what this mysterious city is it's not like I've been here before ururujr"  
> The devil is a cunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many innuendos can we fit.

A pike pole in his face. Not the weirdest thing that's been there. At the other end - a being in - what he begrudgingly recognized - a fire suit. Because humans refused to let anything alone, not even fire. He admired 

" **That's a rather unconventional weapon isn't it?** " They cocked their head to the side.

" _Kto ty? Ty v poryadke?"_ It was a muffled female voice.

" **Why can't you all speak one language like a normal creature?** " He sighed **.**

 **"** _Kto ty?!"_ They gestured the curved end at him. Only for him to grab it - pulling it to swing the person into the wall. However - they'd expected that, and the pike stabbed through his hand.

" **SHIT!** " He screamed. But now he at least had the pole, swinging to bash them - this time with supernatural force.

" **Guess we are both a little less than human hmm?** "

No response.

" ** _Come on. I know I didn't hit you that hard_**." 

No response. Then -

He walked from the brick passages. Usually - he'd pay attention to whatever Jay was doing, but it was rather boring and tedious - he'd zonked out. Now he had no bloody idea where Jay had gotten himself.

_A bit of dread did curl in his stomach though._

' _Where are Tim and Brian?'_

" _He is a_ **_liar._ **" His feet glued to the pavement.

 **"What did you say?"**

" _You smell of blood."_ He glided back over to the woman recovering from their crash into the wall.

" **I'm listening."**

The accent was heavy, English strained, but she managed enough.

" _You are you - but who are you. Who are you."_

" **...** "

" _You - are not you."_ And they refused to speak further.

" **I'll be the one to decide that.** " He continued his sweep.

He steps out into a street large, gray played brick, the metal ping resonating far below his limbs. That should've been a dead give away.

Choir bells ringing so beautifully, and the shaking sounds of rattling tambourines. But there is no recorder to play such things.

His eyes lock through the holes of the mask - staring at the rooftops, the running line of stone soldier after soldier. And the panic bubbles.

" **What has happened?"**

They _always_ follow him around, obey his command - then, why were they already here? He didn't call them. He hadn't called them before either.

' _Oh ho, I see how it is~'_

With the switch - their loyalty laid upon none other than to Jay. Poor thing likely didn't realize it. They reacted to his feelings with the desperate need to _protect_. 

" **Maybe I should pay attention a little more - apparently he's less boring than I thought…** "

The odd music crescendoed as a wall of mist followed the next assailant, down the stony road.

They were approaching rapidly - dressed in antiquated fire gear. Longer coat than the woman from before, but their helmet - that was modern. How strange. They carried two hatchets, a pike head and flat. The way their confidentiality strides across brick spoke their intentions.

' _Alrighty then. Let's play.'_

The two meet at a point and circle one another like a deadly dance. This one is short, slower - but never the less dangerous.

Hand to hand now they locked together and pushed, seeing who would give first. He tried to amp up the pressure but they matched him too well. It was too strong for Alnassik to break through. Where was Alqamar when you needed him? He barely had time for the other that came barreling to their aid. 

4 arms vs 2 wasn't going to go well, so he fell back. 

This one in white stood taller than him, and charged forward to loop an arm under his shoulder. Accept their coat was newer, and he wriggled free of the plastic and soft fabric before they could get a grip.

The other was smart and took his leg, stealing his leverage from the ground. ' _Now this is just embarrassing_.' The limitations of such a small flesh and blood body.

" **FIRE!** " Harpoons rained from above and all around, forcing them to unhand him. Now the field was even. The spears stuck in the concrete, metal lines segregating him and the enemy. He pulled a bunch, tangling them - and with a great heave, he pulled their feet out from under them.

He stood on the ends of one harpoon, manipulating them all to pin the adversarys to the ground.

" **Hmmph!** "

Then he registered a _terrible_ cold - his vision filled with white. He couldn't move. _Fro_ zen.

_Boom. Crack. Boom. Crack_ . **_SHATTER!_**

The ice and metal split into a thousand shards and fell away. 

The female was upon him, an unstoppable tank of a creature. They snatched his elbows, holding him up.

Deadlocked with the strange human, arms thick with the wool. While the other one, from behind, too slippery to grip with the fresh nomex cloth.

Well … he knew when he'd been beat. He went limp. Dead weight. _Blegh_.

This confused the assailants, who stopped their attack and lowered him. A glove prodded at the mask, but didn't remove it. The taller looked at the other, who shrugged - and then he was being hoisted over the man's shoulders.

_'Oh … guess we're going on a trip then …'_

They walked for a long while and _finally_ the loud sirens had ceased. It was getting rather uncomfortable like this - but he refused resistance - wanting to figure out what the hell was going on. The two spoke in hands and nudged one another playfully.

' _Siblings?'_

They reached a large epicenter, an empty roundabout with a huge fountain at the center, still running with water out of a stone fishes' mouth, surrounded by glass objects collecting the run-off. 

He was set down some feet away and the two backed up - waiting. The loud rumbling of an engine increased in volume as it got closer to their location, just as an old, thickly ash covered pumper came into view.

The truck came to a screeching halt, and the side doors were locked open. A stretcher was pulled off the side - and strapped in were none other than Brian and Tim.

' _At least they're safe.'_

The unconscious two were carried two-by-two, (surprisingly) laid gently on the ground in front of him.

The fountain. The buildings. The sky. The _smell._ The old dusty uniforms and truck.

_Now he knew exactly where he was._

An ' _Oh fuck'_ moment, The human term for it. He really hadn't been looking forward to this - it was inevitable, but the longer he could put it off - the better.

Not a danger - no - an enormous annoyance.

" ** _Alnnasik._ ** " He froze. _Speak of the devil._

"So I was right… fuhhhuu-HAHAHAHAHAHA! Well well well, I never thought I'd see the day. It's about fucking time you showed up."

"37 …" He turned.

"Don't worry - we'll handle introductions to your pals there ~ why don't you take a nap~"

"Yes … comandante." 

"Oh my god - call me anything like that again and I'm going to chop your head off and hide it somewhere highly inconvenient. I'M NOT THE CHIEF. YOU CALL HIM CHIEF!" They aggressively pointed at the man in white - who was embarrassed.

"NO ONE REPLACES THE CHIEF!"

"Yes … sorry sorry."

" _Great."_

\---

Jay stirred to consciousness - getting a bit tired of this pattern. ' _Guess this is how Tim feels.'_

"HELLO-HELLO!" A loud muffled voice yelled out. He jumped up, shuffling back - running into Brian, still asleep.

He was greeted with a view of about ten firefighters standing around, some clean, some practically soaked with soot. And a truck that looked as if no one had hosed it down in years.

The closest to him, a short, albeit intimidating physique. They stood, knees bent, hand on one hip and the other with a strange metal rod resting on their shoulder.

 **"37"** The only identity they had. Unlike the others, they only wore a mask over their nose and mouth, all partially covered by a very tall collar.

Jay met the wild blue eyes, behind the tall collar. Oddly familiar blue eyes….

There was no time to process that.

"WELCOME TO THE HIMALAYAS! That's what they say right?"

Jay quivered a bit, gulping, and replied

"... That's a movie quote…"

"A fuckin what now? Nevermind - SO, didja think you could just waltz right on in here with your mini stone army?"

"My … what? The statues? I didn't … I didn't bring them." They were completely still - his heart girdled.

"Oh so bone face hasn't told you yet… Fucking idiot. Dammit … you know, you got us all excited and shit - we've been waiting for an emergency response forever! And we get-" they gestured at the three. "This. Talk about getting blue-balled for 25 years …"

Tim stirred.

"Mmm who's there?" Jay laid a hand on him.

"It's me Tim, Jay, are you alright?"

"Yeah … god I think someone knocked me in the head real good."

37 interjected, "HEY THAT WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE TRYING TO PUNCH MY LOVELY OFFICER AND THE CHIEF!"

Tim eyed incredulously at the - rather short - spitfire standing in front of the fountain.

"They started it."

"BALONEY!"

Tim rolled his eyes and grunted. Brian twitched.

"You know if you need it we've got EMS equipment." 

"I don't trust you." Jay mumbled.

"That's good! Hell I don't even trust myself! Sleeping one moment and robbing a best buy for a bunch of outdated fucking tapes the next! THE GOOD OLD DAYS! YAHOO!"

Brian fully awakened from all the yelling.

Historically, he always had an intense stare that would put anyone on the spot. It was rarely seen. A sort of partial smile but his eyes _did not_ smile. They were shadowed, hollowed, yet alive all at once and it worked on people. If you tried to pass off an "I'm fine" you would get the look, and in moments you were babbling all of your secrets.

 _But this right now was worse_. He hadn't ever seen Brian's eyes furrowed, giving a suspicion laiden appraisal of 37. He didn't trust them either. No one did. Not even themself. 37 didn't flinch, shining right back with wide eyes, a psychotic "I dare you" stare - begging for a fight.

They let out a slow chuckle.

" _Oh this is going to be delightful."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo 37 .... They're certainly a .. character.
> 
> Basically, I'd say their vibe would be best akin to the song "Death no more" by IC3PEAK


	27. Welcome to Rusty Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Toby arrive at Rusty Lake - to find they've already been reserved.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Op cried writing part of this ok

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May or may not be an excuse to put Jessica in various fancy dresses.

They'd descended for a while now, actually, Jessica had no idea if they were going up or down.

The silence of rails in the dark left a bit of frozen fear that a cable might snap on the old thing, but it did not.

Toby broke the silence. "Thinks it's gonna ever stop?" 

"Has to run out of room eventually…"

"I don't think this world cares about that stuff…"

The lift came to an abrupt stop, hands flailing out for balance.

_Ding!_

Light filtered through the cage door as it opened.

Jessica hobbled out first, looking both ways.

Was this ... like an … inn? It was dark outside, but the lobby was well lit.

She noticed the chandelier, hanging from the ceiling, was positioned upside down. The flames burned upside down as well … or was she upside down? She didn't know. The whole situation was a bit upside down.

"Good evening."

She hadn't noticed the person behind the counter, wiping glasses with a cloth. They strangely wore a crow mask … WAIT.

"It's you!" She pointed.

"It's rude to point at people you know." The crow's beak didn't move, but the sound resonated in her head.

"S-sorry." Toby poked out from behind her, curiously eying the crow man.

"But yes, you are correct Ms. Locke." 

' _Oh god he knows my name?'_

"Is this … a hotel?"

"Yes madam, Welcome to the Rusty Lake Hotel: Mental Health and Fishing."

She and Toby made eye contact.

"Uh umm do you … have any spare rooms?"

"You already have reservations - though I did expect you to arrive at least a little earlier in the day, dinner will be served soon, and it's formal wear only."

The bird head swiveled, one eye looking at both of them down with distaste.

"Already … reserved? But wait I - we didn't bring any formal wear or anything - I don't have money!"

"Relax dear, it's already paid for, I assure you. Do not fret - an outfit will be provided for you. Besides we can't have you tracking mud across the lobby."

She looked at Toby again, and whispered.

" _This is weird."_

 _"Yeah but … they have food … and I haven't eaten in months…_ " His stomach growled.

" _Alright Alright."_

"Your rooms are numbers seven and eight, up the right corridor on the second floor. The bell hob will take you there."

"Oh thanks but-"

They were already being ushered into another elevator car and taken up a floor by the bell hob. 

She was busied along to her own room, where a multitude of different people with animal heads scurried around. One with a cats face and a bonnet started measuring her up and down, another giving her a bathrobe and whisking away her muddy pajamas to some unknown location. She vaguely hears Toby yelling in protest from across the hall somewhere. Like a whirlwind, they came and went, leaving her in the room - still whiplashed.

There was a cracked door - she opened it to find a clawfoot tub already piping hot with a bath drawn.

"Ouch-" she hissed, slowly dipping the rubbed raw feet into the water, but once the weight was taken off, it was a hell of a lot better.

She nursed her foot, carefully washing the mud out of the fresh wounds.

Now it was quiet. She looked at the tile floor. The white walls. The vase with daffodils in the corner. She stuck her head under so that just her nose poked out, listening to the low rumblings of the water, like the soundbox of another world. Now that her guard was down, the heavy realization of everything that occured today hit her.

She nearly died - several times. She was stuck in a place that didn't even seem like earth or any other reality, and she was traveling around with a serial killer who was turning out to be not that bad - perhaps … misguided? 

It was terrifying. It was _terrific_. That thought was awful … but she was finally doing something … she almost died and now … she's alive. More alive then she ever would be delivering packages, struggling to make rent. 

_Fuck_. She really was going crazy … crazier. She didn't know what to do, what to feel, what to think.

So she cried. 

She learned, in her 18th year of life, that sometimes the only answer to a problem - was to cry.

With the constant bombardment of humanity, opinion after opinion and all the fighting. Advice that didn't work. Advice she didn't ask for. It seemed her simple existence was an offense to some.

So much noise, noise, **noise**. 

Was it too much to ask for, just to live? To live. **To live**.

She turned the internet off on her computer. It was alright. A few days. And then a call from a relative she detested, complaining about her not updating "Farmville." She had snapped her flip phone in half - then cried over that. She had pictures she enjoyed on it. And of course when her parents found out, there was yelling over that too. She'd gone to the grocery store just to escape it. To be alone with her thoughts among the produce and deli meats. The freezer section always was pleasant to cool a face raw from tears.

But sometimes thoughts are deadly. She abandoned the cart and walked out.

She drove around the countryside, and the agony began picking at her chest again. Her nails dug into the steering wheel as she tried to stifle tears. She ran a stop sign, and the moment she realized - blue and red lights appeared in the rearview mirror.

Cops meant bad things were going to happen. Cops meant a trip to the hospital.

Cops meant a stay overnight listening to the screamings of patients even more mental than herself. 

Cops meant being a depressed 16 year old again _with nothing_. Nothing but a victim. And she hated that so much. 

She stiffened against the wheel.

She remembered the horribly long wait in am all too small bed (though the food was surprisingly good).

Window going down, she stared at the tall corn stalks framed by a setting sun.

The slow patter of rubber soles on gravel, as they tread over - tapping the back of the car, before approaching further. They bumbled around oddly in the rearview mirror - literally - like a bumblebee.

"Evening mam', do you know why I pulled you over?" Their accent was stronger then her own and - morphed. 

_'Lie. Lie. Lie.'_

"I … I think I ran a stop sign."

"Yep, totally flew by it!"

For the life of her, she can't remember anything about them - not even she or he, face and voice always blurred out. Only one thing, their last name - "Orange", was distinct to her… or was it … Orangu? Arangul? Alranju? She was thinking about it too much.

"I - I've had a rough day." She didn't really want to divulge to a cop.

"Ah, one of those - that'll get you. Can I have your license and registration please?"

"Yes … they're in the glove box."

"That's fine you can get them."

She did so, passing a plastic baggy - hoping they contained the right papers, and the license in her wallet.

"Thank ya' manm." They walked backwards, and returned to their car.

Hey wait did they say mam or man? God their accent was weird.

It wasn't _that_ long, but still horribly awkward. Thankfully no one drove by to see her. The last thing she needed was nosy neighbors telling her parents.

They returned so fast - she didn't notice the approach, and the sudden voice almost caused her to jump.

"So, if I may ask, what's got you in a tizzy?"

"Oh just … a lot of things…" her throat choked, and she sniffed back.

"Just a lot of things … all at once … I … I had an argument with my family…" That was the least way she could put it.

"Ah - family - great for the old noggin, am I right?" They said sarcastically. "I've been there kid … more times than I can count."

And she was afraid now that this person was going to go into a long ass rambling story about the "good old days." But they didn't. Just, stood there quietly - inconspicuously turning through _blank_ notes.

' _Ugh. They want me to keep talking don't they._ '

Might as well, because a question had bubbled up to the forefront.

"Can … can I ask something?"

"Sure!" They smirked - nowadays she only sees white teeth through a tv-like static.

"How…" How to word this "How do you like … answer a question - that you don't know. Like a problem that, everyone has a different opinion on and they're all turning to you for some kind of answer and -" she through her palms up "-why the hell would they even ask you something like that, and, and, then NO MATTER what you answer, they chastise you for not knowing! They tell you to go 'get educated' But if you don't answer they call you a fence-sitter, and, and - then THEN when you ask for help from others everyone's got their own stupid answer for it! I don't know - what to believe anymore! I don't know what's right and wrong and APPARENTLY that's a _fucking_ sin to everyone, like I have to pick a side like a football team. I'm so tired … Everyone sounds like an idiot honestly!" She let out a loud hiccup of air. "I'm sorry this isn't making any sense. I just don't … know what to do. I don't know…"

They bent forward, elbow on the window sill. Genuinely pondering the words.

Then, they looked distantly at something - yet nothing.

"My answer …" They took another long pause. Breathing a heavy sigh. Until-

**_"You cry… you just cry."_ ** Jessica stared at the fields past their elbow. They elaborated,

"We don't … really know how long we're going to be on this earth. Fighting gets old. Of course, I speak with a hypocrite's mouth. Everytime I know I should keep it shut around my folk, I always let something spill - and there goes the arguing." They smiled leaning on the side of the car. "No one has all the right answers - I know that's cliche, but it proves to be timeless. We're all good and we're all foul. So, sometimes the answer is just … you cry." They put a hand on the roof. "You'll get yourself worked up trying to find an answer that _doesn't exist_. Have a nice evening." They winked - and maybe then - she did remember one thing. She really wanted to say their eyes were orange, but it was likely just the name association, doubting they were walking around with contacts in.

She focused down at her lap as the tears welled forward, and fell. Silently draining. Soaking blue jeans. She hid in her hands and leaned against the steering wheel. 

' _Wait they didn't hand my license back!'_ She looked around and - it was back in her wallet. Like it had never been touched. 

And when she finally had the courage to look back - they were gone. Car and all. Had they said something to her? She couldn't remember if she'd gotten a ticket or a warning. She even stepped out of the car momentarily, searching around. But it was getting dark, and while she wanted nothing more of her family, she was still glad to go home, to sleep in her bed under a roof. There was always that. She sang terribly to the radio tunes all the way home - never mentioning her brush with the law.

She would cry again a few weeks later. 

Thinking about the incident - she assumed it was all probably another hallucination. Everything had been a bit too weird about them. An unnatural air - not unsettling, like some alien.

Until out of the corner of her eye, lying on the kitchen counter - something called her to pick up the newspaper.

**Former Police Officer Found Murdered. Suspect Still at Large.**

And while she can't remember the face it _was their face_. _Orange._ A cap way too large for them, jubilant eyes and a bright buck-toothed smile on the front page printed in cheap ink. 

' _How? Why? What? No.'_

She fell to the tile floor screaming her lungs out. " **FUCK!"** Cursing at _god_ , _at life_ . Swearing and damning whatever being dared listen - to hell and back. She wasn't Christian in the slightest. Her parents had no idea why she was so stricken over a stranger. All Jessica could think was - _'They're real. And they're dead. They're dead.'_

She hyperventilated - " _We don't know how long we're going to be on this earth._ " Her throat tightened in that terrible way, the way where you wanted to shove your hand in your mouth because it hurt so much, like your body was trying to strangle you.

And god - even though she hated her parents - they still _loved_ her. Despite all of their abhorrent misunderstandings and wrath - She wanted to throw up - they still _loved_ her. So she clung around her mother - woefully sobbing into her shoulder. And she didn't say anything about it. Just patted her back in the oh-so parent way, the "I may not like you but you're still human" way. They never mentioned it again.

She **couldn't** tell her early college friends why she suddenly broke down when they said they wanted to murder a police officer whom they had a bad altercation with earlier. She couldn't. She knew the words they would say. The words they repeated before. "I don't give a fuck about your relative who's a cop." They weren't her relative, not even a friend or acquaintance. But that advice they gave her was … golden - someone finally _understood_ . Some random ass stranger _gets it. They fucking knew what the hell she was talking about._ She knew she shouldn't bring her personal experience into this discussion. She knew she was overreacting when they swarmed her, asking her what was wrong, as she curled into the corner - face hidden in her lap. She knew they weren't referring to the same cop. She knew that when she burst from the room and left for the locker room. She knew they had their own reasons… she knew the system was fucked… she knew-she knew-she knew _…_

She knew nothing. She knew nothing but that stupid smile on the front page of the paper and thought _'God how many are there!?'_ She didn't know what the question meant.

And so she just cried. 

Because 

… 

sometimes all you can do is cry. 

And as it had subsided in the bathroom stall, the question finished itself. Only to be ever more so cryptic _._ **'** ** _How much blood will it take?'_ **

"How much blood will it take…" she whispered now to herself over the surface of the bath. She thinks the water ripples back to her, " _All of it."_

She noticed the sore pads of her feet were feeling a lot better in the water - turned a bit rusty from the caked blood. She bent a knee back, with a plop of water, kneading her thumbs into the soles, finding the pruning actually helped to loosen her skin - making it less unbearable.

There were a bunch of lovely glass bottles of soaps and perfume - though she feared having to pay for it once they figured out no one ever made a reservation for them. So she only took enough to clean herself and scrape through her hair. Conditioner would have to wait. 

She got out, flexing her feet on the bathmat, testing the wounds. Not too bad.

A basket with old styled bandages and gauze were provided, and she wrapped them up well in the gauze. Her ankle still painfully throbbed. What to do about that…. She needed to get off of it - she swore it must've broken earlier - maybe not though - maybe, she prayed, it was just sprained.

And as if the room was reading her mind, a wooden crutch leaned against the wall.

"Well that's … suspiciously helpful…"

She came out to find another staff member, this time the head of a crane, laying out pieces of a dress. A dress which she couldn't decide was beautiful or gaudy. ' _Don't laugh don't laugh DO NOT LAUGH JESS!'_

The dress was … itchy - but at least fitted. Satin and wool too hot for this summer night, and the old deodorant and perfume obviously had no antiperspirant. She was dying.

"Is … is this really necessary?"

"Yes, the first dinner is always a celebration! We can't have you looking dreadful!"

The gown tightened in the back - but she was thankful it didn't have a corset. The neck-line came too low for her liking, bedazzled with sequins and gold lace - sleeves still too poofy in her opinion. She wanted to tear them off.

It was even worse with the gloves and pearls they insisted on her wearing - but at least they let her go barefoot, saying the dress was long for that purpose. She had to maneuver with the crutch so that she didn't step on the skirt and break her neck in a fall.

"Dinner will be ready in a quarter to the hour." 

"Alright. Thank you."

They left her to herself, and she found a mirror. She looked … good. Weird in a modern setting, but for whatever time period this was, it seemed fitting.

"Screw it - let's do this. I'm hungry."

She stepped into the hall.

Toby stood outside his door - arms crossed and angry, dressed in an old suit with tailcoats. He'd obviously messed with the collar several times - seamstress finally getting sick of rebuttoning it and just letting him wear it that way. His hair was groomed back but he kept ruffling it up, trying to get it to its original form. And he still wore the faceguard - though it seemed he lost the fight about the goggles.

"THEY MADE ME TAKE A BATH!" He looked genuinely ready to cry - but Jessica had picked up by now, that he was only _really_ anxious when he stuttered. "Hey, teenagers are stinky!" She started walking down the hallway.

"I'M NOT A TEENAGER!" He whined.

"I don't knowwwww~" She moved faster, even with the crutch, their footsteps went pounding down the hallway - to hear a yell from below.

"HEY! CUT THAT RACKET! BUFFOON'S! MY WORD!"

They hid in a small offshoot of the corridor, nervously cackling, and then waited across the hall from one another by the elevator shaft.

She caught him awkwardly staring at her chest and coughed a bit. He pointed - "Why is your shirt square shaped?" She choked back a laugh.

"I don't know - It's just the style I guess…"

"But you can't like … hide anything in it?"

"Ha, that's not what it's meant for!"

"It's not practical…"

"Well I didn't choose to wear it."

"How are you supposed to run in a skirt!?"

"I - These dresses weren't made for running Toby."

"Oh … that's stupid." He turned walking down the hall, Jessica smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I mean … I guess you could hide stuff under the skirt …" she pulled, twisting it around between her thumb and index finger.

"... Yeah … hey! I bet you could hide a body under there!"

" _Seriously_?" She deadpanned.

"Let me try!"

"Toby no! That's rude!"

"Why?"

"You don't … go under a person's skirt!"

"Oh … ok." He seemed unphased by the new knowledge.

The elevator came up again with the bellhop, and they squished in.

 _"Here we go again."_ Jessica joked.

\---

"No masks at the dinner table!" Toby gave them a murderous glare from his seat and begrudgingly removed the thing.

"Sit up straight! We aren't barbarians!" Jessica through her shoulders back - Toby refused, until she poked at him to avoid further trouble. 

Oh god did he even know how to eat at a fancy dinner? Did she? Crap…

Soon the plates were delivered by butlers with frog heads - she tried not to stare at the huge bulging eyes. 

She learned the names of the guests fairly quickly - all corresponding with the animal head they dawned. Mr. Rabbit, a magician. Ms. Pheasant, a "famous" actress. Mr. Deer, a scientist. Mr. Boar, apparently here to help cure his opium addiction, and Mrs. Pigeon … who never really said what she was here for.

"You must simply have some of the wine, it's delicious!" Ms. Pheasant leaned a gloved hand on her shoulder.

She sipped at it - she was no "wine connoisseur" but it was alright.

Toby took a sip and spit it back in the glass…

"... Ummm … s-sorry …"

Most of the table laughed, much to his embarrassment. Jessica and Mr. Rabbit gave him a look of sympathy.

She began to cut the steaming meat as daintily as she could.

"This is really good! Compliments to the chef!" 

"Agreed!" The animals said in synchronization, clinking their glasses together in a toast.

"Can I ask what kind of meat this is?"

"Who cares if it's delicious." Grumbled Mr. Boar.

"Oh dear, that's your salad fork." Mrs. Pigeon whispered

"Sorry, we're uh … from another country …We use just one fork."

Mr. Deer perked up. "Oh you're foreigners? How fascinating! Where are you from? Tell us more about this place…"

"Ummm uh … America."

"Hmm, I thought they had silverware like ours?"

"We're uh … from the west … yeah."

"Ohhh, I see, that explains those accents - they're brilliant, I've never heard them!"

"Thanks?"

"Ha! The bloody Americans - bunch of run around yankees." Mr. Boar spoke.

"Oh be quiet, like you've even left England once in your entire life!" Said the pheasant.

"I know enough about the colonists-"

Jessica joked - "Didn't we win the war of 1812?" 

"Don't even get me started! You all just think you won because parliament got tired of throwing their money away!"

Jessica laughed. 

"I'm only joking, sorry."

"Hmph." He didn't seem particularly invested enough to ignore shoving food in his face - she sighed relief, as the attention was stolen from her and Toby.

"Oh goodness!" Mr. Rabbit hiccuped "Where are my manners! I didn't ask you your names."

"Oh I'm … Jessica Locke … And this is-"

"Toby … just Toby."

"Well Ms. Locke - were your parents Shakespeare fans?

"Come again?"

"Ah don't worry about it." Mr. Rabbit laughed.

Toby leaned over towards him - actually attempting conversation despite his soured mood.

"You're a magician right? What kind of tricks can you do?"

"Anything you can dream of I can bring to life! Actually, I will be practicing my routine tomorrow night after the ball, if you'd like to come by!

"Oh … u-uh ok…"

"Brilliant!" He reached a hand to shake - Toby slowly offered his own.

Jessica cleared her throat.

"I - I must appreciate the fact that we've been treated so nicely - despite the fact that we're so … different."

Crickets. Then a look of realization from Mr. Deer and laughter.

"Oh please, animalism is sooooo last century." They all laughed in that stereotypical pompous way. "Besides, you'll get your head's soon!" The pheasant woman said.

"Eh-Excuse me?" Jessica inquired.

"She means your _immortality_ darlings." The deer chimed.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand…"

"Oh dear, don't tell me you're _actually_ here for all that mental health nonsense - this place is for the elixir of eternal life. You can do whatever you please if your lifespan is endless!"

"... Sounds kinda … boring."

"Oh nonsense! You'll see soon!"

"No we're just ... staying the night - we have nowhere else to go right now."

"Hmm, how fortunate to end up here then! The deer man smiled.

"Yes … great." Toby and her quickly finished eating and asked to be excused - Jessica lied that she didn't feel well and pretended Toby was related to her and needed to come along.

  
  


The bell hob stared them down as they retreated through the 2nd floor hallway.

"That was … weird…" Toby said.

"Yeah … somehow even weirder than the other things…"

"Should we stay? I can break us out if you want-"

"As much as I don't want too, we have no idea where we are or even _what time_ we're at. As long as we're here - and we follow their rules and little customs, we have a roof over our heads and food… at least until they figure out we're not supposed to be here."

"You have a point … but I hate being chained to a place … just got out of one…" His eyes shifted uncomfortably.

"I know. Trust me I want to go too, but … let's try to enjoy what we can. We'll get out, I promise."

"Pinkie promise?"

"Pfft - ok." She held out her pinkie and they shook on it.

"Goodnight. I'm right behind this door if you need anything."

"Ok, goodnight."

\---

Jessica's Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This weird random backstory I made for Jessica will make sense later.
> 
> I kind of gave Toby a quirk like my own brother has - who's very similar to Toby in mannerism. He will do something people consider "rude" without actually realizing it's rude. He's genuinely just curious and it's adorable - until he asks someone's weight and gets punched.


	28. Overture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Toby have to go along with the hotel's customs, but evil secrets lurk under all that posh.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Another damn excuse to put Jessica in a dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A calm before the storm chapter

The next day started … busy. Saturday apparently. They were awoken early - as it had been arranged ahead of time that they'd need day clothing before breakfast. Forget the one from last night. This one was hot, starchy, and too long. It went all the way up to her chin, and down to her wrists. They even expected her to wear gloves again. There was no way in hell she was putting up with this all day.

Luckily, lunch came directly to her room - and she spent most of the hot day wrapped in a white sheet like a toga, as she refused to leave her room. She wondered how Toby was doing - but apparently men and women were not allowed in the same room unless married. _Ugh. Stupid old customs._ She really had no idea where they were stuck, but they could do nothing until they reached a clue on how to leave this strange … dimension.

Saturday night meant ball night. Which meant another bath, more makeup - which probably had lead in it - And an even more extravagant outfit. Her hair was curled painfully and upstyled by staff that had the heads of multicolored mice. No one seemed to give two fucks that her ankle might be broken.

She met Toby down in the lobby. She stepped out of the elevator. The rest of the overly extravagant dress followed. 

"This is literally the worst and most beautiful thing I've ever worn in my entire life."

She pulled at the long train skirt.

"How am I even supposed to - ugh - walk in this? Without tripping everyone in the near vicinity? It takes up the whole room!" It got stuck under a table leg, which tripped her - luckily Toby half broke her fall.

"At least your's looks decent … I feel like a penguin."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad!"

"I passed a woman with a penguin head and she got offended, it's bad."

"Pfffftttt-HAHAHAHA!" 

"But … I mean … you do look nice … it's nice." He gave an awkward thumbs up.

"Thanks."

They cautiously walked in through double doors. There was light music from a record player, but the same dinner guests from the night before stopped. They were all watching her. She feels the beginning of a nervous sweat break out.

"Wow …" whispered Mrs. Pigeon, and suddenly Ms. Pheasant was all over Jessica.

"Oh my feathers! This is gorgeous! I've never seen anything like this! Is it foreign? You must simply tell me!"

"Oh no I just borrowed it from the hotel."

"Well they made an excellent choice!" Mr. Deer piped up. "You look lovely my dear!"

"Th-thanks…"

She wasn't sure how to accept the attention, and curled her hands together. Toby pulled her away from the gathering, until they bumped into Mr.Rabbit

"Oh pardon me! Good evening."

"Oh sorry…"

A song picked up on the recorder.

"May I have this dance?" The rabbit offered a hand and bowed.

"Uhhhh." She looked at Toby for help but he only shrugged.

"I can't really … I injured my leg."

"Oh - I understand, don't worry."

While the dress _was_ pretty, she really had no urge to even enjoy such a thing in front of these people, and with her sore leg. This was a waste of her time. She needed to figure out where they were exactly, how to get back, and especially _find Tim_. He would know more than she did. This was frustratingly tedious.

They stuck to the walls, not really comfortable with this atmosphere. At least in a large crowd of people, you could disappear, but here it wasn't even above the single digits.

"I'm going to go find the bathroom…"

"Ok…"

She collected the fabric and limped carefully across the floor and back into the lobby.

She searched down the corridor - the bathrooms here were weird, though she guessed time appropriate. It was essentially a large wooden box, a fancy outhouse. She knocked. No answer. However as she opened this door - 

She was met by a man, a human, sitting on a more modern toilet seat.

"Oh sorry I didn't know anyone was in here ……… sir? ……. Sir are you ok?" She creeped forward, reaching a hand out to the slumped over head.

They shot up, face blackened out with the endless white eyes. Their body spasmed violently as it consumed him, and she slammed the door. 

"Something the matter?" The crow man scared her.

"I … there was - someone in the bathroom, I think he's sick…"

"Don't worry about him, he will waste away soon enough. His soul barely has a grip on this place. There is another washroom further down the hall to the right."

"... Ok … umm … thank you." She shuffled off until the hall was empty, and then turned back towards the ballroom - screw bathrooms."

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._ She stopped walking, and the sound did as well.

 _Her ankle_ … she looked below the bundled skirt, to see her right leg turned a strange, opalescent sheen, fading into skin at her knee. 

"What the …"

She tapped the ground with the leg. Like some kind of abalone shell. The dull ache of her ankle had left, and she no longer had to limp about - though she feared slipping on the smooth balls of her feet. 

The pitter patter of the crystalline foot sounded, quite satisfying. Though, she isn't sure if she should be concerned or delighted.

Reentering the room, she catches Toby standing in a corner, Mr. Rabbit pouring over some magic trick story. Both his and Toby's ears twitched at the sound of her leg, and Toby saw the shiny gleam from under the skirt. "Hey! That's what happened to your-" a palm slapped over his mouth.

She found she could dance quite well on the odd foot - standing on her toes didn't hurt. She did a small twirl. Friction-less. She slipped, but Toby anticipated it and caught her arm. When she stood, the other foot had turned to rock as well. She windmilled her hands around, as she scooted forward on the ballroom floor like it was a skating rink. She stood on one toe, which developed a small spike to keep her stuck in place. 

"Marvelous! Good old magic will fix you up!" Mr. Rabbit laughed.

"I … is that what this is?"

"Looks to be!"

They found a concession table to huddle next to for the remainder of the time. It was a lot easier to forget your nervousness with delicious foods.

 _Finally_ 9 o'clock tolled, and they made their escape.

"Ugh at least the food was good…" Jessica sighed.

"He~he~he~" 

"What are you laughing about?"

He opened the front of the suit jacket to reveal he'd stolen tons of goodies. She looked around and laughed as he handed her a powdered tart, no doubt the sugar had gotten all over the inside of his outfit.

\---

She had finally unpacked the thousand layer dress and washed up, rubbing her temples. She looked at her hair, it was getting long. She knows she's only been gone for 3 days, but it feels like weeks, pinching the bridge if her nose to fend off a headache. 

The room had a few selections of music, and she figured out how to operate the thing.

Gymnopedie calmly played on the record, while she laid back on the plush bedding.

The itchy wool nightgown was too much in the over packed bedding, so she decided "fuck it" and went in her underwear. She pulled the quilt up over her chest, praying it was washed - it seemed to be. It was fresh and floral, almost like it hadn't ever been used at all.

She sighed looking at the popcorn ceiling, wishing she might have a book to read. She'd been staring bleary-eyed for at least an hour now. _'Why is the moon so bright!?'_

_Clamor_. **Clang**.

She heard movement in the walls, and suddenly a hatch fell out of the ceiling, landing and leaving dust everywhere. Out popped Toby, lowering himself to the ground.

"What are you doing?"

"I found - eh -" he brushed himself off, "A bunch of secret passageways, lotta mice though…"

"Sorry, what are you doing _here_?"

"I don't know ...something felt really off, I don't think I should be alone in my room…"

"More off than usual?" She chuffed.

"Yeah … Can I … sleep right here? Please?"

She sighed, "Alright", tossing an extra pillow down to him. Soon he was twisted up awkwardly on the floor, drooling into the down. 

She rolled over, and sleep finally had mercy on her eyes.

\--- 

Jessica's Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise shits about to go down.
> 
> Link to Gymnopedie: https://youtu.be/S-Xm7s9eGxU


	29. Danse Macabre

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dance with me, as we fall, six feet under.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Link to Danse Macabre:  
> https://youtu.be/YyknBTm_YyM

Toby awoke with a start, remembering he'd agreed to go see Mr. Rabbit's magic show that night. Jessica was already fast asleep - he carefully opened and closed the door. It was late, almost midnight, but the rabbit man had said he would be up most of the night practicing his routine. 

Of course … there was an option of not showing up … but the man was nicer than the other guests here. Toby felt … perhaps he owed at least this little favor. It would make the guy happy, and he expressed no ill-will towards his general condition and tics.

Before his hand hit the door, it swung open.

"Welcome friend! Come in, come in!"

The room was the same standard size, though had an extra window, along with yellow wallpaper. Several devices and props were scattered about. He didn't waste any time.

"For starters, a card trick! Pick a card, I promise I won't peek." He winked, fanning out 5 cards. He plays along and selects one. He folds them up, and before his eyes they turn into flowers.

' _Maybe this guy is legit.'_

He hands him the bundle of flowers and pulls his hat off, gesturing for Toby to place them in. They fall into a bottomless pit. Toby looks down and the man's whole head disappears inside his suit - popping back out of the top hat.

"Woah …That's creepy!" A long ear flicks, and Toby sees a card.

"Pull that out for me, would you?"

He does, flipping it over.

"Is that your card?"

"Y-yeah … it is!"

"Moving right on to the second trick. He folds Toby's hand shut around the card, opening it to a key.

"Find where it goes!" He looks around, seeing a padlocked wardrobe, and tests the key. It fits, and the chain falls away.

He opens.

The skeleton of the rabbit man. He jumps, shutting the door. He looks behind him, and the man is gone.

He carefully opens the door again, and there is the rabbit man, unscathed.

"Nice!" Toby claps a little.

"Alright, for this next trick, I need an assistant!" He says, as he steps inside another lock box head poking through the top. "I want you to place these 3 swords in the marked positions!"

"Oh … ok."

He pulls them from their holster on the wall. They're real - lightweight, but sharp.

He slides the first in.

"Ooo that tickles!"

The second.

"You're doing great!"

He sees something from the corner of his eye, a rabbit - but not … the same. He turns again and the lights flicker. He sees a white rabbit in a black cloak pass by the window. 

"What's wrong chap?"

The night time here - it was messing with his head, but everytime he would lose his train of thought on the subject. He couldn't figure out _why_ it was so weird.

So he looked at the magician rabbit, standing so _trusting_ in the box - and the first idea popped.

_'What if I put it in the wrong spot?'_

But he ignored that. Putting it in the correct spot. There was a look of shock from the man. Toby didn't understand why… it had slid in without a hitch.

"But … how-" His dying gaze looks out the window at the apparition of a white rabbit.

Toby blinks.

He was staring at a dead rabbit man, blood gleaming and dripping down the sword blades, and dripping from the bottom of the wood.

He didn't deserve that.

And now Toby was angry.

Angry that he'd killed him.

There was only one thing to do.

_**The great equalizer**. _

\---

Something's wrong. Something's very wrong. Toby was gone. It was dark, cold. She shook in the bed, before deciding to wrap the sheet around herself in a robe and carefully pad out into the hallway. Dark - candles blown out. Electricity gone. Cold, so unnaturally cold.

The elevator, atleast, was still working, no lights though. She pressed the button for the ground floor, hoping the lobby would know what was happening.

But as she stepped out - it was dark here too.

A shooting star went by outside.

"Excuse me? Hello?"

Mr. Crow wasn't at the front desk. She looked into the kitchen, only shadows met her, down the hall's past the bathrooms - a heavy lead weighed in her gut when she saw that the bathroom which contained the monster was open, mirror shattered. She needed to find Toby before …. Before something found them. 

She walked into the ballroom. 

Bad mistake.

The doors all slammed, and she pounded on them - no give.

"HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" The pickup of a record player, scratching in the corner of the huge room.

' _Danse macabre.'_ She knew the song all too well.

"The sooner you face your corrupted soul, the sooner you can leave." A voice.

 _'Oh god I know that voice_ . _No no no don't turn around-'_

She braced herself - and turned around.

Alex Kralie - just as she had seen him last.

He slowly advanced - she backed up, darkness gripped at her ankles - she was stuck in place.

He forcibly grabbed her hands and waist - _like they were dancing_.

"Let go of me!" Her body was not her own anymore, and she could feel the distinct press of a gun against her side.

They stepped madly with the song, with the crooning viola and even as crazy as Alex had been - she knew this wasn't him. Not even he would act like this. Because Alex … she remembered, he'd been _sorry._

She held her breath, refusing to show her mortal terror, a bead of water formed at her eyelid.

**_No one escapes the dance with death._ **


	30. Silent Night, Unholy Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby must face the fact that he is, inherently, a monster.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jessica trips balls on angel drugs and Toby fucking clears out the hotels occupancy goddamn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muh babies.
> 
> Ngl I did feel a littttllle bad for Mr. Rabbit in the original game - Rusty Lake: Hotel

There's a thick static in his brain and he only knows hunger.

His muscles pleasantly flexed with glee, having the hatchets unsheathed. His toes curled, teeth bearing behind the guard.

He stalks down the hallway, the distinct odor of prey. He rounds the corner. Pheasant.

As he bludgeoned the door in, the pheasant woman looked him dead in the eye, smiling, before holding a small matchlock pistol up to her head - and calmly pulling the trigger. A spray of blood hit him and the photography on the wall of her latest shoots. He spun around on his foot to the next door. 

The blood drives him crazy, eyes dilating, feeling a festering itch at his nails, scraping then against the axe handle until they cut gouges.

He stomps across the hall - he can smell it - the stink of hypocrisy and _his father_. He busts the door. 

There is no shadow, no presence, but he can still smell, feel. He reaches an iron cabinet. He hits the lock with the butt end. Once. Again. The locking mechanism shatters and he bends the metal off its hinges. He didn't expect what was inside.

A child - with a pigeon's head, dressed in rags and bleeding from spots on his feet and feathers. He twitches. There is a device strapped to his head - which Toby recognizes all too well. 

" _Where is your mother?"_ He growls, cocking his head to the side.

The pigeon boy points with a feathered finger. He looks dead, uncaring, tired. 

" _Hiding in the bathroom huh?"_

He stands.

" _Fucking hypocrite's, liars and bastards - I want to end them all." He kicks in this door, the pigeon woman knocked over._

 _"You just loveeeeeee to tell people what makes you disconcerted, but you don't give a fuck about others. My tics make you "uncomfortable?"_ _My mask scares you so I can't wear it? Because apparently the FUCKING WORLD revolves around you._ " He cackles.

" _But look at you - it makes you uncomfortable because you're guilty. I could smell the rotten stench of abuse across the hall. Fucking waste of flesh."_

A woman runs in, a guest that hadn't shown at dinner, but was briefly at the dance, who slipped in some snide comment about the medicine he carries with him. They're pink skinned and some cross of a pig.

" _Oh right on fucking time!"_ He bludgeons them and they collapse next to the kid who couldn't care less."

" _You know I could go on the hundred term_ _list of all the reasons you piss me off, but I'm not going to - because you're such an illiterate fuck face"-_ His head twitches, then glitches in cubic parts. "- _You wanna know something, I don't give an absolute shit if you don't like the pills I carry around cus they remind you of your drug addiction. THIS IS A FUCKING MENTAL HOUSE! WHAT DID YOU EXPECT BITCH!?"_ He hits them hard enough against the wall to crack their skull, and lets them bleed out. 

" _AND YOU!_ " He whipped around to the woman with a pigeons head. " _YOU'RE THE WORST OF THEM ALL! A COWARD!"_ He rips at the wirings of the machine in the metal box, wires sizzling with electricity - causing the hotel to lose power.

" _You will reap what you sow."_ He shoved them back, sending them into the bathwater with the strange contraption - and the child, having been freed, pulled the lever on the box. She fried to death.

" _Good job kid_ …"

He catches his breath - but he's not done, and stalks towards the shadow of antlers. A deer outside it's room door, just about to go in.

"Good god! You're covered in blood! Are you alright?"

" _I'm great."_

"Oh … oh no you're one of those things! You're not supposed to be - go back where you came from spirit! Monster!"

" _You know there's many different things we call "monster"_. _You'll have to be more specific."_

He slams the door in his face. Toby lifts a heavy foot. And smashes the door in. It hits the back wall and leaves the Deer man stunned.

"Stay away from me! Heathen!"

" _Wrong answer. I'm the worst kind of a monster. A human monster."_ An axe cut through the deer's neck, and they gargled, falling to the floor.

" _Fuck … sorry … you weren't that bad … just an annoying ass prick."_ He stumbles, body dangling with the axes as he shuffles over the body.

A flap of feathers, he looks at the last unopened room.

"Hmm … well done, Mr. Rodgers." He stared the crow man down through the orange goggles. Blood smeared the axe head, dripping down onto the matching runner. 

_'I'm not done yet. I still need_ **_more_** _…'_

His gut heaved with the pent up rage. He wanted to hear more of the slashing, the crunching, the screaming. More falling to his wrath. No one would laugh anymore. He didn't need that monster to tell him what to do. In fact - he would kill the monster too. He would kill them **all**.

"Your self control is _lacking_. It will be your doom, if you're not careful." 

" _Are you going to try to stop me?"_

"No." And he pulls a knife out.

" **You know what to do…** _"_ The knife was turned around, the handle offered to him. So he took it. Walking to the door behind the crow man. Turning the knob. His skin burned. 

_The boar man_. Another encompassment of his hatred. A selfish bastard who ate and ate, smoking opium harvested by children - starving while he reveled in gluttony. Oh ho ho, he knew this was set up for him - that didn't matter. A large axe hanging inconspicuously above the couch by a thin thread, where the pig snoozed in his opium induced haze.

He flicked the knife with apparent ease and it cut the thin wire, letting the axe full and bludgeon their skull. 

The room is turning smoky with the leftover opium and the silhouettes of trees thickly crowd around him, calling to him, branches bending to reach for him. He thinks about it for a moment, but steps back. He turns, and he knows the forest stretches much farther beyond the walls of the room, but head for where he saw the door originally, opening it reveals a full length mirror.

 _That's not himself in the mirror_. But it was. He peeked at his hands. Head to toe, he's covered in black tar, aside from a few bare patches. Two hollow eyes stare back. Two nubs protruded from his head, and he rubs at them, like he was growing horns.

Finally, accepting this as his reflection, the mirror shatters from an impact, and he stumbles back across the hall into an empty room.

\---

She was being dipped back, and the sound of the safety clicks off.

"No!" She shouted, a light flickering in her veins, slapping the gun across the room.

She threw him off and backed up.

"I beat you once Alex, I can do it again…" she huffed.

"Sure, but will you beat me?" She sees her old roommate - Amy, walking from the shadows of the long curtains.

"A-amy? What are you-"

 _"Or me?"_ The hooded man, red face barely visible in the dark room.

 _"What about me?"_ The masked man, half his facade glowing in the wicked moonlight.

They surround her, cornering her. And the air grew thicker, darker, like smoke. The stars seemed to die one by one but their shadows grew and grew. To stretch across the ceiling towards her.

_'What do I Do?'_

" _It's an illusion. Break it_." The voice says. No need to be told twice. She bawled her fist. And swung.

Before her eyes it turned into a beautiful pearly rainbow, and upon impact to his right cheek- shattered the figurine of Alex like stone.

 _"To your left."_ She listened, and without even looking, broke the oncoming assailant. 

" _Right foot, 90 degrees_." **_CRACK_ **. Another one down.

" _Duck."_ She bowed below a hit, kicking at their shin repeatedly until it snapped in half, and they fell to the floor with a clamor, chunks skidding across the floor.

She whirled around with another blow but there were none left. Instead -

**"SHRIEK!"**

She looks at the ceiling, to see a bat - a human sized one at that - hanging above her with glowing yellow eyes.

The wings spread a little, regarding her, head swiveling to survey the damage in the room. Then they tuck away, eyes closing.

She awoke in bed. The candles were relit.

' _Toby!'_ She pulled on the itchy nightgown and ran out into the hall, slipper landing in something … sticky. The white shoe was now stained with red. Actually - it was everywhere - splattered across the walls, the sconces, a deeper crimson then the red wallpaper.

She follows the trail. She knows what has happened and yet … she doesn't have too much sympathy for these cheap imitations of people. She steps over the first in her path. The deer man.

She _needs_ to find Toby. 

\---

He was shaking and sobbing in the corner. Knife still clutched in his fists as he curled up on himself. He doesn't know this room and he doesn't know what or who he is but he's done something _bad_. A black tar keeps bubbling at his fingers, forming sharp claws which he tears at with his teeth. But they just keep growing back. The black has secluded itself to one side of his face now, flapping around like a slow flame, he pulls at the stick-like antler forming from the tar, but it will not budge.

"Toby?" 

_He knows that voice. Yes he's sure of it. And that's worse. Here it comes. The screams of hatred and disgust_. "Are you alright?"

He could only whimper in response.

"Here … it's not good to curl up on yourself. Makes you feel worse." She carefully pried his death grip open. Opening his defenses.

"Do you want a hug?" He flicked his eyes around, not trusting his voice, so he nodded.

" _Ok_." She was very slow, but deliberate. Careful not startle him, but strong and stable. He was very cautious of his torso being open to attack, very unsure. He stayed still. Hoping, praying she would not be scared off by the blood.

Arms wrapped around to his back and patted him gently. He tensed expecting pain there. It never came. 

"But - I'm'm … w-weird." 

"So what, we all are. Some are just better at hiding it." She laughed, but it was not a demeaning sort. "Gee, you should meet my … "friends" … I guess they're my friends. Bunch of the weirdest guys you'll ever meet."

".... Y-our friend-zs …."

"Yeah. This one guy, Jay, carries a camcorder everywhere he goes. He once told me he was making a documentary on hotels. Worst liar ever, but I bet he'd get a kick out of this place."

He stayed quiet, listening carefully.

"I also had two roommates. One of them, Alex, was making this student film. Let me tell you - it was soooo bad." She giggled more. "And he'd get mad at you if you laughed at the trailer - but it was so - Ha ha ha! It was great. And then there's Tim - you met him - he was the only one that could equally piss off Alex. He's got his own issues but he's a cool guy."

_'Tim's the guy in the mask. Alex … was it the same Alex?'_

"What happened to them …"

"Hmm?"

"Your friends."

She sighed.

"Well, Jay and Tim … I don't know. I haven't seen them in a while. And Alex …. the others …. Do you want the truth?"

"Ok."

"You sureeee."

"Mhm."

"You double surreeeeee."

"Yes." He pouted.

"Ok. Alex - Alex went crazy and killed all of our friends. Then he tried to kill me and Jay. Probably Tim as well. He was just … farther down the list I guess. Don't know where he went though. Tim just said he "took care of it". And I'm really not brave enough to ask what the hell that means."

He froze _'Ah … that explains it_.' He had gotten the vibe from her, that she had been through some shit. She wasn't just some random woman stuck in a nightmare realm.

He was embarrassed but couldn't find a moment to care right now, and tried to hide himself in her shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright!" She smiled. "We all get thrown in the trash heap every once in a while. Nothing wrong with that!" 

"I literally just killed a bunch of weird animal people…"

"Maybe I'm going crazy…But I really don't care too much anymore. Besides … I don't think they were real."

"What?"

"They feel … artificial you know … the Crow, and the cook, and the bell hob … they all have this strange look in their eyes like they know something no one else does…"

Thinking about it - he did notice how the bell hob always _glared_ at them. He just thought they might be awkward.

' _Well that response was … unexpected. She's warm. And safe.'_ He nearly closes his eyes, until In the corner of his vision, a demonic figure, like the one from the clock, poised with the knife he'd dropped moments ago. 

"NO!" He shoved Jessica, shock written on her face as she fell back, seeing the black ghost. He grabbed the wrists of the spectre. They came to the same height, face to face as he pushed back with all his might. Legs still bracketing her shoulders, trying to put himself between him and it. But it was far stronger. Bending him back. White eyes bearing into him. Jessica's voice was painful and distant, like an air raid siren.

It's too much. But he feels … it. "It" was something new. This wasn't … the masters influence. Not his rage either. Whatever "it" was rose fast, bubbling in his nerves and igniting his muscles again. The longer he grimaced at the thing, the more its face morphed, contorting, a jarring smile with a gash. Eyes - his eyes. His face, his skin, his hair. _Him_. It knew it had the upper hand, as black moths coated up his hands where their hands locked.

"Toby! It's not you!" Jessica's voice broke through - with another familiar female's voice. 

' _Precious things are on the line - if I fail.'_

He can actually _think_ now, and slides his leg to trip them. They may be a ghost, bit they still obeyed gravity, wobbling backwards to stay upright. He makes a downward arc with his hatchet, breaking its legs in half. It falls against the wall, wound regenerating but it couldn't keep up with him. He cut and cut, each slice cutting the tarry mass, and leaving a thick cut into the wallpaper behind it.

Jessica let out a shout, and charged forward, smacking it in the head with a vase. It groveled at her - more annoyed than anything. But it was enough of a distraction.

One hand let go of the axe handle to clutch at the knife in its hand, he yanks it away, and drives it back down into its chest. 

There is a bursting cascade of fluttering wings, and he felt lighter. The rage was gone. Something had been lifted that he didn't know was there. He blinks and looks around. He's alright. Jessica's alright - a bit shocked.

The crow man stood in the doorway with a cane. His head angled to give them an almost approving look.

"Nicely done - that takes care of the first half! Just have you left, Ms. Locke."

He claps his white gloves together.

"Harvey, could you please come clean this up?" A familiar squawk, and a person in a suit wandered in. That person having an awfully recognizable parrot head.

"Hey are you … we've met before right?"

Another squawk, "Met before." They repeated.

"Yes, this is Harvey, tasked with guiding you to our humble retreat."

"Hi Harvey!" Jessica waves. Harvey takes the knife from Toby's hand and it's tucked away in a suit pocket. He begins tidying things - broken vase pieces flying back together and glued.

"Sorry for the forced formalities - I didn't want the guests becoming suspicious of you."

"So this WAS a set up! I knew it!" Jessica yells, clenching her fists near her chest and smiling.

"Yes and no - this space you're standing in now, is on a loop. This isn't the real Rusty Lake Hotel - rather an event in its history. It has served its purpose. The guests here have been murdered before - and likely will be again, for whoever the next is to arrive. I will take you to the real hotel as of now. It's a little more updated - though bare with me - it's quite 1960's."

They follow him down a hall, and into the red lift. The bell hob - Jessica recognizes as the ceiling bat now - pushes a 3rd button and they go down. The door reopens on a floor that looks like a more updated version of the lobby. It's day time and the bright noon sun shines through glass doors.

Jessica stretches.

"Ahhh~ sweet sweet air conditioning." 

"Yes, I must say it is one of the modern comforts I actually enjoy." Mr. Crow chuckles - a resonating sound only in their heads. 

"There's showers up stairs, and your actual clothing is sitting in your rooms. Well, accept you Toby - there was only the clothes on your back. I'd recommend a shopping trip honestly." 

They split off after Jessica assures that Toby is ok now. He seems better than ever really. Before she goes up the stairs, she turns back to Mr. Crow.

"You said … something about the first half - what's the second half? And why does it involve me?"

"I'd be surprised if you haven't already figured it out, but I'll confirm your suspicions. Mr. Rodgers has defeated his own corrupted soul - he will now be mostly impervious to the influence of the Slenderman."

"The … what?"

"The tall faceless one who's only good taste is a fitted suit…"

"Hey but … wait, how did you know about that? And how did you know how to get him to fight his soul? And how are we here? And how-"

"Slow down, slow down." His beak seemed to curve in a smile.

" _The Slenderman_ … a fallen angel that disguises _himself_ as a demon. He's been around longer than I have - but he cannot get to this realm - because of its proprietor. Who happens to own this hotel. You are here out of a mutual arrangement of a "friend." And as for his corrupted soul, that's our specialty here. The lake is an epicenter of our … operations. Though, I will admit - usually we focus on the _generation_ of lost souls." He winked, which gave her some terrible feeling that she really didn't want to find out.

"You're soul is stable enough for now - it will not trespass on the hotel grounds. It's safe … for now."

"Oh … thank you."

"No problem, now I must attend to some business before dinner time. Good evening." He tilted his beak like a hat, and disappears.

She retreats to her room to find that not just her PJ's, but her entire wardrobe is hung in the closet. 

"Squawk!"

Harvey sits on a perch, back in parrot form.

"Hi again."

"Hi again." They repeat.

She grabs a fresh set of clothes and heads down the hall for the showers. They're still older than what she's used too, but functional and clean.

She returns twenty minutes later to her room, finding Toby playing with Harvey, seeing what words they'll repeat.

They both jump when Harvey let's out an exact replica of a woman screaming - then they burst into giggles.

There is a knock at the door frame, and Mr. Crow walks in with a silver tray, setting it down at a small round table in the room.

"Enjoy!"

"What is it?"

" ** _Venison. Fresh from just last night_**."

He left the room to stunned silence.

"He couldn't … no he couldn't mean…"

Toby opens the dish - though both of them really haven't seen venison to tell the difference before. 

Toby shrugged and started cutting, she slapped his wrist, causing the knife to drop to the floor.

"What?"

"Toby! This was a person!"

"We don't know that!"

"Where the hell else would they have fresh deer meat slaughtered _last night_."

"... Ok mayyybbbbeeee it is - but it's not like it's human - not that human isn't toooo bad."

"Oh my god… I think I'm going to be sick…"

"What part? Cus if it's the human part I didn't really have a choice…"

"Toby this is still … A sentient creature - even if he _was_ a deer, he still had the same level of intelligence we do - doesn't that make him at least a bit human? This is just … disrespectful."

Toby stared her in the eye - a rare feat for him to initiate.

"I _killed_ him. In cold blood. There's almost nothing more disrespectful than that. And no amount of "respect" will make up for that."

"But … it's just-"

"It's a human emotion, to want to balance things out. But the worst has been done. _He's dead._ He won't care what happens to his body because _he can't_ … they were probably going to throw his body to whatever monsters live in that lake anyways … at least now he has a use beyond death."

"Shit why do you sound smart all of the sudden…." She grumbled.

"Besides, we need to keep up our strength right?" He offered a fork with a piece speared on the end. She stared, heart racing away, and slowly took the fork into her own hand, fist closing around it to avoid dropping it.

"... I'm going to hell anyways…" 

She bit into the meat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there goes the first and last time we actually call the Slenderman - Slenderman.


	31. Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay, Tim, and Brian discover several things ... Learning isn't always fun.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay, Tim and Brian meet their new neighbors, and boy are they shittt

The shorter one in the dusty ass gear had been keeled over in a laughter attack for a good while.

They sighed.

"Wellllllll - I think we can agree this was all a big misunderstanding. A false alarm."

They then turned to the one in white.

"What do you mean … no, 4 told us to wait here … fine!" 

They walked inside a building - despite the "chief" not saying a word to them. A few painfully silent minutes later they walked out.

"No I didn't find the pipe … 4 told me to come back out here! … I'm not dicking around …. Don't fucking yell at me!" 

They then snapped back to the trio, and approached close enough so they didn't have to yell. A metal bar hangs over their shoulder, with two strange spikes jutting out.

"So, if you haven't guessed by now - welcome to the grand old ark!" They gestured. "Well … whatever's left of this Shithole - fuckin potholes everywhere."

"The ark … like ToTheArk." Jay mumbled.

"Yeah - it's called English."

"Hey wait -" Tim spoke up, rubbing his black eye. "-so why are we here? What's all this ToTheArk bull about? I don't see what's so special about this 'Shithole."

"Damn you're a quick learner … assuming not just one - but three! Three angels are here, I believe you've got something to do with Harut."

".... A What?" Jay and Tim deadpanned.

"Oh boooooooyyyy. Alright … fuck it I can work with this. Think bitch!" They slammed the tool against their helmet.

"Ok!" They jabbed the other flat end under Tim's jaw.

"You're the moon - or at least, you're host to the moon."

"And you-" Brian pushed the bar away.

"Justice."

" _And you …_ " They kneeled in front of Jay. "The hermit … what the fuck have you been eating? Shit wreaks!"

"Uhhhh … fish."

"Huh … weirdddddd. Doesn't smell like fish … smells like..." They leaned uncomfortably close "... _roadkill rabbit."_

"Anyyyywhoo - fastest way to put it 'cus I HATE wasting my precious time - you three, are humans, possessed by angels whom I may or may not happen to know… you're here for a big reason, annnnndddd - uhhhhhhhh" They did this for a minute. "Oh yeah! You've arrived at the ark! The last stronghold against Harut, The Tower aka you're faceless stalker asshole cunt bitch head … ok I'm projecting a little SORRYYYY." They giggled.

Neither of them really didn't know what to say … Well Brian did, but he couldn't speak.

"But … why are we here? Like … why not the others? Why are we the only ones left … alive?" Jay said forlornly.

"Oh … trust me, you're not the first. And I doubt you'll be the last - unless we can put a stop to this grand charade."

Then - over their shoulder.

The windows. Each window. Peaking out of old distorted glass.

Hundreds - it had to be hundreds.

Hundreds of faces.

Some just like their own.

Others that looked to be from an entirely different time in history.

Some masked, some Inhuman. All suspicious laiden and seemingly terrified of what the newcomers were going to do. They could feel the power radiating from the hermit - some of the humans recognized it and panicked. ' _Why is he back here? Why did he come back!?_ '

The three huddled closer together. 

Noticing their change, the shortstack raised a brow, and turned around.

"Hey - HEY! HEY! FUCK OFF! I TOLD YOU TO GO HOME! ONLY I GET TO BE A NOSY BITCH HERE! COCKSUCKERS!" 

They all immediately ducked and hid away, doors and shutters banging closed.

"Uggggghh god, none of them can wait till we say its safe, they just HAVE to investigate. Then again - a lot of the got here because they couldn't stop investigating isn't that right -" They pointed at Jay. "... Youuuuu."

"Jay." Tim eyed him, but Jay pushed his fear to the side.

"Hello Jay, I'm -" they paused mid-sentence. Their neck cracked grossly, and they stood straight.

"Listen - history's history - you can do whatever the hell you want, go wherever the fuck you want. Just watch out for danger and potholes and don't ignore the fire diamonds - you will explode. Besides that, I don't give a fuck at all, but -" They poked Brian "I can smell that tar festering in your soul, and if you don't get it fixed soon - you won't be human any more."

They stepped back over to Jay, slamming a hand on his shoulder, Jay swears now he recognizes their eyes. _But who?_

"And when that happens - well, I don't really care then either." They whispered - loud enough for just them to hear.

"But - If you pull a fucking stunt like the one earlier, I will string you up by the skin - right where you're standing. Capiche?"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-"

"Great! Have a nice day, bye!" And in a poof of smoke, 37, their crew, and the firetruck all vanished.

Silence.

Tim blinks, "I think … I've said this a lot today, but what the _fuck_ is happening?" Tim

"Hey … look!" Jay points, Tim touches his eye - no longer bruised, knuckles clean too. Brian's nose wasn't crooked anymore. Not even a scuff on their clothing.

"Alright did that happen or are we all collectively on some strong acid trip." 

"I wish." Tim sighed.

Brian didn't really care - tugging at Jay again. 

"Brian where are we going?" Nothing but a pull on his wrist. 

'Dreams.' He tapped his forehead. 

"Brian we should - we should stop and gather resources or something this is dangerous."

Brian shook his head at Tim.

"I guess … whatever it is really important…"

Far beyond the city limits, they wandered through tall blue grass, swaying in the wind - the constant stench of rain threatening to fall - never doing so. Broken structures dotted the plains every so often. They said nothing. The constant word ' _Angel'_ repeating itself. What did "Angel" mean? 

Brian stopped, Jay nearly running into his back. He swiveled his hand - scheming - then points and breaks into a sprint. Jay forgot how fast the man was. They're running now, breeze whipping sea salt past their faces.

Brian slides to a halt.

A large rectangle hole spanned wide over the plain sinkin down, down, down. A thin staircase descending into the great darkness. Intricate architecture sculpted the walls, and Brian stood at the first flight - pressing a hand to it.

"We aren't …" Tim spoke too late. Brian took a step. One more. Another. Jay hesitated. 

That is - until Brian took a running jump off the stairs, falling into the bottomless pit.

"BRI-" Jay leaned forward, but was tugged back by Tim.

"Let's go." They ran 5 steps at a time, jumping down flights. They ran out of breath - looking up - only about a hundred meters down.

"How - how far can it be?"

Tim kept walking.

"Tim?"

"Shh … just … let me think for a minute." 

A sheer whistle from the shadows below, and their eyes adjusted, making out Brian standing perfectly fine at the bottom. 

"How did he …" Tim muttered

"Come on!" 

"JAY!" He flung off the edge, and was caught in a nearly transparent web of silk and water drops.

Tim rubbed his face. "Please let this be the last crazy thing I do today…" he steps off the edge.

Once at the bottom, Brian pulls a torch off the wall, striking it - it ignites immediately, and he walks into the stone corridor ahead.

They enter a large room, and Brian cracks his throat

" _It."_ He squeaks hoarsely.

They look up. And up and up and up.

A fossil, of massive proportion, towering high, high, high above them. Dwarfing their existence, so far the light couldn't reach it fully. Skeletons Wings as big as the chasm itself. And a giant skull, so large they could comfortably sit in its Nasal cavity. But worse about it - the large presence of an X ripped through the entire wall - Circled.

Brian sat on the floor. Jay and Tim - their minds couldn't work anymore.

"I," Tim said, then stopped.

"What does it mean?" Jay asked.

"Is it … real?" 

"I'm more concerned … what made those scratch marks."

" _What have we got ourselves into?"_ Tim whispered.

Jay found his legs again, stepping over to Brian.

'My dream.'

"So … you had a weird dream too?" Brian blinked agreeance at Jay. 

"What if this thing still exists? Then what?" Said Tim. "Jurassic Park?"

"... I don't know. I - I don't want to know." A terrible rush of fear snagged itself onto Jay - he bit back the bile.

Brian signs. 

' _Angel.'_ Shaking his own hood. Then points at the fossil. Tim looks back and forth for a moment and then bursts - "Are you trying to tell me when I black out and run around in the woods I'm that thing!?"

' _So-So'_ He waves.

Brian writes with the ash on the stick.

' _Wait here - for angel - tell us what happened.'_

\---  
  


And this is how they get themselves camping in a dark, wet cave - seemingly waiting for one of them to pop into their other self. But it was a really long wait. They were all hungry. Brian insisted they leave their gear at the island. It's sometime later when Jay is nodding off and Tim is trying to learn sign language, that the black cat enters the corridor.

"You're back! Come here kitty!" The cat curls up next to Jay, who scratches his chin lovingly.

"You could call him again you know."

They all drop what they're doing and look at eachother.

Tim breaks the silence first. "OK please tell me we all heard the cat talk."

"Yeah … I think … I did." Brian nods as well.

"Call the Hermit!"

They all jump this time.

"I think we should listen to the ... cat?" Jay blurts out.

"I swear if I wake up and this is all some overdose dream I'm going to kick your asses." Tim lays back on the floor exasperated. He sits back up just in time to watch the change happen. He'd only ever been the victim of it - but now, he could actually watch it play out. Jay's eyes rolled back, then left, right, up, down. His fingers flexed, his jaw wiggled. And then he smiled an un-jay-like smile. The fire blows out, leaving a dim blue light in the room, reflecting off water puddles.

" **Well, you've finally arrived here.** **This is something I've wanted to show you.** " 

"You … it's … the hermit? Right?

" **Yes. Alnassik. That is my name.** "

"So … you're … and I'm, and he … an _angel?_ Seriously?"

" **I doubt it's the same perception you have of "angel." I'd say a better phrase for it is rather … a different state of existence …. You'd probably even associate more with demonic than angelic**." They giggled a cold laugh.

" **Is that … what you look like?** " Tim nods to the fossil.

" **Oh - No - this.** " He opened his arms in grandeur.

" **This is** **_our_ ** **ancestor. Intimidating isn't it? And yet here they are - solid rock. Nothingness**."

"Who carved that into the rock … they'd have to be pretty big wouldn't they?"

" **Perceptive Tim**." It sounded terribly weird coming from Jay's mouth, but in the whispering, cooing voice.

" **I'll be honest with you - I have no clue. The last time … I saw this … as a babe. It was intact … though-** " They turned around so fast, like they didn't move at all.

" **I haven't met** _**every** **one**_ **yet. There's always a few - that are always a bit … secretive. If you've collected by now - every one of us matches, what your species calls the major arcana… and we each have a part to play … more or less.** "

" **If you really want to know … I'd ask … some residents. I haven't been here in … perhaps a thousand years now … I never really concerned myself with the past - just the future. Always a hunger for movement, for the next truth."** They placed a hand over their chest. " **You can see, he was the perfect option.** **I couldn't be more proud of the progress he's made alone -** **but**." They turned twitchy, unstable.

" **It's not enough. He needs a few pushes in the right direction now and then…"**

Tim kinda had the urge to smack them.

"I don't want to stand in a damp moldy cave all night so you got anything actually useful we can go off of?"

" **I can't quite tell you everything right now - because others are listening. They always are."** Jay didn't have the mask on, but his face looked sunken and skull like - teeth stuck on a permanent grimace, eyes glowing a slight bit **.**

" **And now, I wouldn't make this recommendation if I weren't serious. The older they are the smarter - I would consider speaking to the devil."**

"... What are we going to hold a seance for satan?"

" **Oh I should've told you - the devil is 37, who I believe should've … greeted you by now - if you're already here … and not dead…"**

"That … firefighter? They're more unstable than Alex ever was! Why don't you just go talk to them?"

" **Eh. No. They make me … uncomfortable. If my skin could crawl it would.** "

"So we're just supposed to be comfortable with it?"

" **Yes … I perceive them differently. All angels do - but you… they might look more … normal. Ugh they're … freakish.** **They're not like … us**."

"How so - it seems like they're another asshole parading around in some poor person's body to me."

" **No. That's just them. They were born human. And it's fucking weird!"** They actually looked like they were going to throw up.

" **You wouldn't understand."**

"Sounds like Angel racism?"

" **YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND!"**

They coughed.

" **Anyways … yes, I know they're crazy. But they're … knowledgeable. They are named the devil for many reasons.** "

"Is there literally anyone else we can talk to?"

" **With the same amount of strange genius … no one I know yet. But searching around. Besides, now that we're here."** He gets close to Tim's face, staring down at him like a ghost. It's such a weird posture on Jay - shoulders back and _confident._ He didn't realize actually how tall Jay was in comparison.

" **More will come. Give it time. Not too long now. Everything is set in action**."

Tim turned to Brian, who seemed rather … unfazed by the events.

"Can't wait to walk up a thousand flights of stairs…"

" **Allow me."**

The room shifted and he thought he was going to throw up. The next thing they know, they burst out in a puff of shadows and land in the city fountain. Jay is out cold and Brian picks him up before he can sink.

There's a heavy-set man, a bit taller than Tim, scruffy brown hair and beard, staring at them through glasses, holding a bucket of water. They glance at Tim, then Brian, and then _stare_ at Jay. They drop the pail and run.

"Hey!" But they've vanished.

"Well…" Tim says to Brian. "I guess … we should find somewhere to rest until Jay wakes up … I mean they DID say we could do whatever we wanted …"

Brian nods and they both hook Jay under the shoulder, walking off to find a (hopefully) empty building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would LOVE to hear guesses as to who 37 is.


	32. Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim, Jay, and Brian find shelter for their first night in the ghost town.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> You thought it being too quiet was awful until you met the neighbors

It was dark, a few streetlamps glowed warmly but most were destroyed. The moonlight dispersed through the clouds cast their shadows far down the cobble. There isn't a peep, just a quiet wind in the eerie town.

Tim unintentionally is leading the way, saying he'll stop when he gets a "decent vibe" from a place.

Their stomachs are eating themselves, but they tried to tide it off with some glasses of water they collected earlier.

Tim does stop at a building - which looks just like all the other buildings. They go inside - the wood creaks under foot but doesn't cave.

 _God it's creepy in here_.

There's rooms upon rooms, some locked, some just filled with glass bottles. Tons and tons of glass. If only they could eat glass.

They climb several flights, not wanting to be right next to the entrance. Memories of Benedict Hall. Bad memories.

Tim stood at a door, and tries the knob. It gives. The insides are carbon copies of the rest of the rooms, except this one is mostly bare, a broken bed and some chairs, a window that remained intact, and a bathroom that currently couldn't be seen in the low light. Brian was used to sleeping in quiet, drafty places … but that wasn't necessarily a good thing. He shuffles closer to Jay for warmth.

They all just want to plop down, and close their eyes - perhaps if they can't see the monsters they won't be attacked by them.

Jay's stomach lets out an uncontrollable rumble.

"Well get some sleep, then we'll worry about food ok?"

"Alright."

The bed frame is broken, unsupportive, he scoots the mattress onto the floor. While dusty and a bit hard, is relatively unused. Jay pulls the comforter and sheets with it. They're all too tired really to do anything else, and after checking the locks, they plop down. It's tight fit. Tim lays on his side facing the wall, and he can _feel_ Jay's head radiating against his back. Brian grabs around Jay like a human body pillow, and is asleep in a few minutes.

"Hey Tim." Jay whispers into his shoulder blades.

"What is it?"

"What's it like … when I'm like that …"

"What do you mean?"

"When I'm the uh … masked thing. That's what's happening to me, right?"

"..." Tim isn't sure if he should answer the question truthfully, but decides he can't lie anymore to him.

"Yes … I think … it's the same thing."

"What do I do, while I'm it? I mean I've seen you and Brian but … is it any different than that?"

"... Yeah … Actually … it is. You're rather talkative?"

"Wait. Really?"

"Yeah you … speak perfect English. And you're kinda … sassy, I guess. Or the … 'angel' is. God it feels weird calling them that…"

"Pff, not exactly the epitome of angelic are they?"

"Definitely not."

"What else do I do?" Jay's fingers lay a palm on his back and he tenses up, then relaxes.

"They … _he …_ they're kind of an asshole, not going to lie … but they're helpful … although kinda secretive."

"Which ToTheArk member isn't?" Jay sleepily chuckled.

They are quiet for a few more minutes and Jay speaks in a near asleep tone.

" _Can you … keep an eye … on me? When I'm like that? I know it's a lot to-"_

"Of course Jay. Don't worry. Get some sleep."

" _Ok."_ He slurred as his eyes couldn't fight open anymore.

  
  


In the morning, Jay finds there is running water in the bathroom - and has to assume it's safe to drink it. Who knows, maybe with this whole angel biz he could drink saltwater? He didn't really want to test that though.

It was so nice to be under a shower rather than a stream. Hot water steaming, almost burning his back. He ran fingers back, per his usual routine, scratching the dead skin away and poking around moles he knows he should leave alone. But well into adulthood it was better to satisfy this urge, otherwise - risking a different one. He remembered the years of struggle to stop biting his fingers, stop ripping flesh from the nail bed, and came out victorious. But it quickly manifested into biting and tearing at the skin of his cheeks. The cheeks shed a lot, he learned. He would chew and chew until they bleed, and come morning, it had mostly healed over, tattered flesh sloughing off. He returned to biting his nails after that.

Brian stepped behind him breaking his incessant chain of thoughts. It was rather fast how any physical barrier really broke down between them. It was just … serene. It wasn't unnatural. Guess dying once put a lot of things into perspective. Tim, on the other hand, was still trying to keep some sense of normalcy. Jay has some theory on a social "disconnect" happening when they died. All the small embarrassments and fears and tricky little human customs that plagued them before were fizzling out. And another, quite possibly, _Jay was getting used to his 'angel.'_ There are old glass bottles of soaps and shampoos - it takes a few tries to figure out which, but eventually he's scrubbing suds into his hair. An audible relief. The grime always made him antsy. 

The two just stand and talk - though in silence, in the strange Morse code that developed itself automatically.

There is a wet peck to his cheek and he laughs, rubbing Brian's jaw like some kind of cat. He was silly like this. He would sneak up and leave tiny affections always surprising him. He'd always been like that, not afraid to hug and cuddle with friends. But now even more so touch-starved. Sometimes he'd tease them by suddenly blowing a puff of air in his ear and running away fast. Even a few "wet-willy's" which got the usual response of "AGH! You manchild! Come here!" From Jay.

Tim had noticed it too, the days he's been here. It was really surprising to see Jay ok with, even enjoying, the fact that Brian almost always had at least a finger in contact. He huddled close like a shadow.

Tim thought for a day, that he might be jealous, that it might develop… but it didn't happen. Though there was a _yearning_. Brian was always careful with Tim's boundaries in the past. Tim thought he wasn't one that liked to be touched, didn't want to be in contact. But the lingering moments of it, even just a handshake - left a fuzzy feeling. He actually _did_ like it. But - damn his anxieties - he was too afraid to admit it. Too afraid of betrayal or rejection, so he always tensed when someone touched him, pretended like he didn't like it.

That was becoming particularly difficult in this new environment. They all had to sleep like sardines last night on a tiny mattress, along with the cold and drafty room. It was harder than ever to not curl to his side and hug a zonked out Jay to his chest like a pillow. It's almost as if he wanted to shield them. But instead he could never work up the courage and was left with imaginations. Ok, He was jealous of Brian for _that_ aspect. He didn't know how he could so easily just _take_ what he wanted. Anxiety didn't bother him anymore, as he'd seen far worse. Felt far worse.

He is currently dreaming of Ice and snow, cold from the lack of companions.

Jay's hair is almost dry and he puts on his clothes - he really needed to find some others. He shuffles out, laughing at a still sleepy Tim. 

"Tim … you need to wake up~"

"No…"

"Timmmm."

"5 more minutes."

"It's been an hour, we need to go get food."

"Mmmm cold…"

"If you get up and walk around you'll feel warmer."

"What are you my new parent?"

"FOUR!"

**_BANG._ **

Everyone was awake now.

"What the-"

"I SAID FOUR NOT SEVEN DAMMIT"

**_BANG_** **.**

"DIE NAMELESS BITCH!"

Tim's had enough - he doesn't care how dangerous it is. He swings the window open.

"What the he-" He pulls his head back in just in time to dodge a potato chucking across the sky. 

He looks out the window, followed by Jay and Brian like a cartoon, and _of course_ it's the fucking "Firefighter's."

"What the hell are you doing and why are you wasting food!?"

37 yelled, and Tim almost couldn't make it out from here because of the mask. "You know there's literally a grocery store down the way! Besides, we're shooting it at that thing!" They pointed their hand at a strange gray creature, with maniacal jaws and long sickle like claws.

"... Shouldn't … you be more concerned about that!?"

"Nah, this is like a daily routine - he won't get close!"

"That thing lives out there!?" Tim points down the road.

"Yeah - a couple miles in the woods -oh you're worried about it! Don't be, can't touch you anyways. FOUR!"

Jay notices that the cannon operator literally has a four em-blazened on their helmet.

" _Fucking … frat kids…"_ Tim mumbles, juggling a damp rag Jay brought him to wash the window dust off his hands.

Jay holds his laughter but smiles at Tim's annoyed state, he goes into the bathroom and takes over the shower. 

And then Jay sees it. _The look on Brian's face_. A shit-eating grin of foretold doom.

"What are you planning?" He holds a finger to his mouth, quietly turning the doorknob, stepping into the steamy room. Moments later he bursts out with a bottle of shampoo.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" But Brian has already run out of the apartment and goes flying down the narrow corridor. Tim comes out angry, wrapped in a towel.

"Don't slip!" Jay says.

"I wasn't done with that!"

"Well if you don't chase him he'll be sad."

Tim makes a face, and storms out of the room after the taller one, likely halfway across the building by now.

And then suddenly Brian has snuck back around and runs into the room, shutting the door. 

"Brian, you better open this door young man!"

"You should probably do what he says."

"I'm going to push this door in on the count of three. One…."

Suddenly the door makes a horrible screech as it snaps the hinges, bolts flying everywhere, and wood splintering as it smacked into and _through_ the adjacent wall.

There's a yell from outside.

"HEY THAT'S THE SPIRIT!"

Tim looks at his own palm, then back to Jay and Brian, who puts his hands up in surrender.

"Oh for fucks sake - give me that!" He snatches the shampoo and returns to the shower - where he worries away about the sudden burst of strength he had and what it could mean.

Finally ready they set out to look for this apparent "grocery store." He doubts anything's stocked with how empty the place feels. Where would they even get imports? Fuck it.

"Wouldn't it be funny if it was a Costco?"

"Why a Costco?"

"I don't know, it just seems random."

And then they see a sign through the mist.

 _Costco_.

"... Great Jay now your psychic."

"You've got to be _shitting_ me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Potato cannon thing is based off actual neighbors I've had


	33. Strangers in Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three find food and many other ... Intriguing "things"
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Still classier than walmart

It's cold, deserted, and dark - a perfect match. Now that they were closer they realized the sign was actually a crappily painted "Cotsco".

There's rows upon rows of dusty shelves, and only a few of the lights work. It's like a liminal space. But - there is food.

"Do you think we gotta pay? Cus' I sure as hell don't have my wallet…" Tim grumbled.

"Does it look like there's been a cashier in ten years?"

The food, while branded - is all different kinds of strange things. Some have expiration dates older than themselves, and some, in the future. One aisle keeps mentioning something called "Corona" in 2020 and they're kinda glad they dodged that bullet, who knows what shit that was.

And then … the newspapers are the most intriguing. 

"Is this real?" Jay idly looks at them. 

"We should get food then we can do detective work."

"Yeah but it says Donald Trump becomes president in 2016."

".... Donald Trump? Like that guy from the reality show?"

"I guess …"

Brian's staring at the headline silently laughing.

"We probably shouldn't look at the future ones … it will just get all weird."

"Fine." Jay sets it back down.

Tim is very selective in what they get, only getting stuff he's sure he can "cook the food poisoning" out of. They land on just making pancakes from a mix that isn't horribly outdated. Jay peeks through the shelves patiently waiting for Tim to make his final decision. 

"See anyone?" Tim mumbles.

"No but I definitely get the distinct sense we're being watched."

Jay heads back down to the end of the row, looking at the empty rows of cash registers.

A woman with brown hair and glasses poked her head out from an aisle a few rows down.

"Uh hi - hi there." Jay says.

"I know what you are … stay the fuck away from me you monster." She smashes a bottle and brandishes it at him. ' _Oh shit.'_

"I - I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Wow, think I'd fall for that one - it didn't work the first time motherfucker -" 

_'This is bad…'_

"Hey - don't call him that -" Tim steps out of nowhere.

"Are you fucking serious? Don't tell me you're on that thing's side? Oh hell no I'm leaving!" And she flees. Jay looks at the ground nervously.

"Did I … do something to her?"

"No - no you were with us the whole time-"

"What if - she means like … when I'm _it."_

"I don't … think so - you don't seem violent … look don't worry about it she's probably seeing something totally different… who knows how screwed up everyone is here."

Jay sighs. "Ok…"

They leave with some pancake mix, and Brian demands they bring syrup. The roads are almost identical, but they know enough of the landmarks to make it back to their hideout. The mail box with a dent in it. The row of 3 dead bulbs and one flicking one. The brick out of place, which Brian stopped to push back. They noticed, as you went in towards the center of the city, the road always curved to the right. _'It's probably spiraled to some extent.',_ Jay thinks.

They continue in silence, until Jay's overthinking finally breaks into sound, "Hey, I think I'm going to go get our stuff … we might be here for awhile."

"Are you sure … it's a long ways away and you might not be able to teleport like last time and what if you get lost in the city or some other person tries to hit you and -"

" _Tim_." He stops. "I'll be fine, ok?" He winks and Tim has lost any words to an argument.

"I'll be back as soon as possible. No more than a few hours."

"Ok … at least before it's dark."

"Got it." He gives them a wave, abruptly leaving the other two to continue to their room.

It's then and there that Tim realizes he quite literally _destroyed_ the last room and audibly groans.

Brian smiles in a "So you finally figured it out" way.

  
  


\---

They moved over a few buildings. Tim thinks it attracted to much attention. Though at least this one they find has a small stove, which they heated pancakes on before.

Brian sits by the window, watching as the clouds darken moreso, signalling a rain storm, and Tim is brooding with his leg on the desecrated remains of a nightstand. There's no use just sitting here while Jay looks around. He can scrape something up too… but asking it's going to be rough. He essentially has to ask Brian to divulge his _trauma_. So then he will have at least an idea of what they're dealing with. If anyone knew more about it - Brian, and whatever "angel" he had. Responsible behind the ToTheArk videos - at least Tim believes so. He's starting to think he was also responsible for some of them. 

"Hey Brian" He starts "… if you want … can you tell me … what it was like? All those years? You don't have to, you just seem to have a better hold it on then I do… and … I also want to know what to expect … with Jay."

Brian grimaces. Then writes: ' _I'll write it down … but I want to be alone …_ '

"Ok. I'll give you some time. Want me to bring back anything?"

' _Yourself.'_

"Alright."

Jay was out doing whatever … and Brian needed some alone time. Tim needs answers. He might as well do some investigating of his own. But he _really_ doesn't want to. Because he knows where all the trails are going to lead him, and he's _not looking forward to it._


	34. The Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim cuts to the chase, but what can you really learn from the mouth of a liar?
> 
> Alternative Summary: Tim's had it with this Rick-rolling motherfucker.

He walks thinking about his exact _plan_ of action, but more so envisioning impossible and terrible scenarios. He folds his arms, thinking he really needs to find a coat.

He passes a man with curly brown hair poking out from under a beanie and he's the first guy not to bolt upon seeing them, though he does cross to the other side of the road.

"Hey, hey sir can I ask you a question?" 

They freeze up and look at Tim - hesitating, and then they slowly walk back into the middle of the street to get within ear-shot.

"Uh … sure?"

"I just … do you know anything about the devil by chance?"

"Oh … thank God I thought you were gonna ask something else … the devil -" they paused "I really don't know much about them … besides they're judge, jury, and executioner … when it's necessary but … besides that … I don't know. They're … it doesn't matter..."

"Judge? In what way?"

"I … if someone else isn't available, they judge who steps foot in this town … and decides a ... punishment …"

"Oh …" ' _Does that mean we … passed judgement?'_

"I think … they also know everything about everyone … you don't have to tell them. Are you … looking for them or something?"

"Oh yeah, I don't really know where to go so I was kinda hoping they might just pop up - like they do."

He points down the block.

"When you get to the fountain, it's down 4th street, it's a small sign hanging above a door that says - and I quote, 'The Shit-fest Volunteer Fire Company…' And they spelled shit with two t's… if you really go, Just be careful… about what they say, They have the mouth of a liar … but their eyes tell the truth … if you see it you'll know what I'm talking about..."

"Alright … uh Thanks I guess."

"Yeah … bye."

They walked off down the road, and Tim pulled up his collar to better buffet against the misty wind.

He does as instructed and sure enough, there is a sign half suspended, half broken 'Shittfest Vol. Fire Comp.'

 _He's literally walking right into the devil's lair._ He wraps at the door. It's motionless inside for a minute or so, and then he sees a shadow through the wavy glass. The door opens, and it's an even taller person in firepants, 4 em-blazened on their helmet. They too have their face covered, and rather shyly regard Tim.

"Hey can I, speak to uh, #37? If they're here."

They hold up a finger and shut the door. Moments later the "chief" appears and gestures him in. It's a very small and cramped coat room, and a respirator is handed to Tim, along with an extremely heavy backpack containing a bottle of air. He's confused until the host points at a sign. 'NO OXYGEN BEYOND THIS POINT.'

"Oh." Tim fits it on his face but struggles with the actual thing and is helped, his hair gently pushed out of the way and then thousand mystery straps tightened. The hose is connected and he breathes - panicking at first as his lungs feel like a vac, and then it pops on, and he's Darth Vader apparently.

They open the second door, letting Tim walk through first. Once it's shut, they pull their own tank off - dawning a normal plastic mask.

The inside is a shark contrast to the city. It's still rickety, lined with wood boards, but the walls are painted white. Everything is pristinely cleaned and he can actually hear others moving about in the building, like a colony of ants. He wonders, with a shudder ' _Just how many are there?'_

They point a gloved hand up the steep stairwell to the first door on the right.

"Oh … uh thanks." Sure enough as he finishes the climb up the doom stairs, there is a 37 nailed to the door. He isn't really sure what to do, so he knocks.

No reply.

"Umm hello?" He'd be surprised if anyone could hear him through the thing. Then another firefighter in full gear rounds the corner, and they see Tim standing there. He thinks they're going to confront him - especially seeing that this was '10'. Their first impressions weren't the greatest. But instead they take a fist and knock so hard the door frame rumbles. 

"GOD WHAT!?" They give Tim a thumbs up and continue on their path. 

"Umm … visitor? I wanted to talk to you about something?" More like he _needed_ to talk.

"Come in."

He grips the doorknob like he wants to snap it, and opens the door.

He's greeted by a rather morbid scene of a person lying in bed with a pillow slapped over their face, and a _very_ open wound across their abdomen.

"Uhhhhhh-"

"Shit's normal don't worry about it … close the door."

He decides to take their word for it. They pull the pillow off, their head wrapped in a scarf as well as their lower face. He would think it a bit odd if not for … well literally everything in his entire life.

"I didn't think you'd be the first to come knocking … but you are the smartest of the three stooges there …"

"Well, I have some questions that need answers to match." He said, biting his fingers in nervous habit.

"Ok. Why ask me - the literal fucking devil? I know you're not very fond of me."

"You've got the most knowledge here - at least I think - you've been here the longest."

"Mmm not quite - if you count the ones born here that is … but I guess you're right … if we're counting 'years spent' and not 'age' - I'm rambling again - have a seat…"

He moves a stack of books off a wood chair and sits.

"So what's rumblin' your jimmies?"

"... I guess … most of all would be Jay, and these videos by "ToTheArk."

"Oh yeah I know the vids."

"Ok but - why?"

"Why what?"

" _Why are the videos so cryptic_? Wouldn't it have been a lot simpler to just …Talk to us."

"Oh well that's one's simple - not many of us speak English…"

"Are …Are you serious? That's why they're all … that?"

"Well yeah, probably that and a combination of really bad technology skills, and just general asshole-ry. As for Jay - Just confess already."

"WHAT? NO! That's not what I-"

"I'm pulling your leg! Anyhow, what _particular_ thing is bothering you cus boy - there's _a lot_ to unpack there."

"I guess … everything about this angel thing … Jay and I were apart for a long time, and I don't know much about what the hell this is - just that I used to get seizures and blacked out for months on end… He - _Alnnasik_ \- he acts weird too … there's a difference every time he's spoken before. He was really helpful and caring in the beginning and now he's … snarky? I also don't know what the hell he's done in Jay's body all those months before he arrived here… Jay doesn't remember and I certainly didn't see him…"

He realized he was pouring his gut out like this was the world's strangest therapy session.

"Hmmmm … give me a minute." They stare into their tea cup, seriously thinking about the sharings. They looked like they were choosing what to say - or rather, _what not to say._

The minute of silence breaks when they reach over to set a stirring spoon on the dresser.

"... You know, have you ever considered-" They took a sip of the tar-like 'tea.' "-That maybe …. the hermit …. isn't the aggressor?"

"What?"

They squinted at the cup. "Alnassik. The Hermit. Let's say - _he bit off more than he can chew_ \- There's a distinct possibility he's lost control too."

Before he could speak 37 continued.

"Think about it - seven months for Jay to reach the ark. Brian - only three. Why would Alnassik risk his own vessel to run around for seven whole months? Oh, he says he needed time to "adjust." Blasphemous - he's not a time waster. But someone else might be…"

"Are you saying … there's … more than one - of _him_?"

"I don't know … it's a theo-"

They ripped a metal pan off the nightstand, and hacked and convulsed into a bowl, before swallowing a glass of water with familiar white pills. 

"God - You know that shithead through me around quite a bit before."

' _Shithead means operator.'_ He thinks.

"If it doesn't come here anymore … then how did you beat him?"

"Ha - *hack* - I didn't beat him - no - no." They hit their chest. "Not necessarily."

"First step: I killed something far more powerful than him, then, I left."

"That doesn't make … any sense - why would he just let you go!?" 

"I know something he doesn't. He fears it. So he stays far away - so that he cannot _hear_. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

"This is another lie isn't it?"

"Ha ha, maybe."

Tim leans on his knuckles, breathing in. 

"Can … I see your mouth?" That sounded a bit weird, but they seem to take no offense.

"Ooo, you sure? Might not like what you see Tim…"

"I already don't like what I see…"

"HA! Good one- Fine, actually - _I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet_." Their voice changes, it makes his gut cringe and he can't place why.

"You've always been quite the intuitive one, took you the least amount of time to realize Alex was off his shit and get the fuck out of Tombstone." They laughed. Pulling at the bandana over their lower face. Tim squints.

"You kinda look like-"

"Now do you understand why **_he_ ** was afraid?"

Tim stood up, nearly knocking the chair back.

"What the hell _are you…."_ He glared. 

They smiled. Brown eyes.

"That's what my mother said when I came outta the womb! Ahem - 'We are each our own **devil** , and we make this world our hell.' Oscar Wilde once said."

Tim leaves.

\---

Jay walks around climbing a stack of crates to get over a wall. He was telling the truth mostly, but the big reason he wanted to go back was to feel the ocean again. His muscles itch from disuses, he just wants to be in the water. An ache. The stones start turning into gravel as he treads down the metal-blue beach. Waves beat against rocks standing here and there. From this area he can see far and wide - and does note there is a forest, and some rigids mountains in the distance. But everything is still painted in a blue-gray shade. The smell of salt … is refreshing. He walks into the foam with his clothes still fully on. It greets him by running around his soles. And then it climbs, though still leaving his pants dry. He lets it encase him as he takes the plunge.

This time he doesn't dream, and steps out of the water back on the island.

He lets out an audible sigh, it's warm and sunny and beautiful here, green and full of foliage. The sand tells him something though. 

Tracks. Foot after foot. The hairs raise on his back.

_Someone is in his house._


	35. Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay helps a man reunite with his friends. But why do they look at him like that?
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> ANGEL DRUGS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to rewrite this one a few times. Originally Jay gets angry, but he's not deteriorating that fast ... Yet :)

He goes on the defense immediately, following the tracks, though a safe distance in the shade of the bracken, not sure if he's predator or prey in this situation.

The tracks are a bit mixed, maybe a limp perhaps.

He doesn't have to go far, when he hears sniveling and _somehow_ \- smells fear and melancholy. It's an odd scent, and he can't describe it to replicate anything.

He rounds the corner slowly and there is a man huddled, pale skin, marred by a staticy black that crawled up their left side, concealing their face partially.

They are lean yet scrawny in some areas, obviously starving. They back up like a feral cat - Jay hopes not with rabies.

"Hi, are you ok?"

"H … hello …" They're in a state of extreme confusion, studying Jay, and - just like a cat, they sniffed the air. His eyes are deeply shadowed, just how Jay's had been _before_.

The wind changes direction, and the man freaks.

"GET AWAY FROM ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!" They curl up, crying and screaming.

"I'm not going to hurt you! Please, please listen to me!" Jay tries to approach.

He kicks around in the sand, putting a gap between them.

"I can smell it on you. You're trying to hide it but I can fucking tell - I always know, I had to deal with him for years. You can't trick me motherfucker." They begin to hyperventilate.

Jay doesn't come any closer and sits in the sand.

"My name's Jay. I … I got here over a week ago … and I don't know what's going on but I'm working things out…" He speaks clearly and calmly.

The man stares at him, gazing wildly with one hazel eye, one white void on the covered side of his face and something resembling a tall ear or horn sticks up. His hair is longer on the side it's exposed, brown and just past his chin. He's terribly frazzled and smells like B.O and sea salt.

"I really don't know why you're afraid of me, but other people today have been too. I'm trying to understand, if I did - what I did to … trigger this kind of response." The man breathes, then furrows his brow.

"It's not you - Jay. It's what's inside you - that I hate."

He twists his head a slight amount, though Jay isn't overly expressive with his body language.

"The … Hermit? Do you mean the hermit?"

"No … _The Magician_."

"But I'm … the hermit?"

"Yes - but I can see the magician - in your chest." Jay lays a hand over his sternum without thinking about it.

"I'm not the magician though I-"

"I can't trust you - understand that, no matter what you say I'll never have a way of knowing. It's nothing personal."

Jay decides to shift the subject.

"H-how did you get to this island? I haven't seen anyone - no one that I haven't known at least."

"I swam … I think … I fell into the ocean. I was … trying to drown myself but …Then I woke up here…"

"Why were you … trying to drown yourself?" Jay asks shyly.

They stare at him again with the wild-side. He's shorter, even more than Tim, but he's still muscular and hadn't wasted away to hunger yet. Jay wasn't going to win if this turned physical and he honestly looked ready to pounce on him. The black bubbles on his face.

He snaps into loud laughter.

"Haha-hahahahaha! Oh this is just fucking fantastic! Is this one of your new games?" He points. "Couldn't leave me alone, not even - how many times have I tried to kill myself now? **FUCKER**!" The last part hurts his ears as they stop laughing and screech suddenly.

"I."

"SHUT UP!" The man screams. "You're just another one of his human victims, his play-toys, he's gonna see how much fun he can get out of torturing you and me." He marches forward before Jay can retreat and digs his hands around his neck. Jay chokes, and pulls at the death grip.

"St-op!"

He's pushed to the ground and a fist connected with his mouth.

"IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE!?"

He starts beating Jay - and he just takes it. He doesn't know what to do - if he sits still this man will kill him, but if he acts, he'll just make the man more afraid of him.

Blood drops from his nose and the man freezes up. Jay takes the chance to kick him back, and scramble away.

"FUCK!" He screams, about to cry. "He's not even possessing me and he's still controlling me!" 

In response to Jay's danger, the stone statues rushed from the tidal and seized the man, pushing him to his knees, though he didn't put up that much of a valiant effort. At least they weren't harpooning him.

He's just sitting there, encaged in stone, and Jay sits there. It's up to him now, he realizes. But what can he do? He doesn't want to hurt the man. They stare at the ground, hair partially covering their face, only showing the corrupted side.

' _What should I do … I can't just leave him here_.'

" _You can heal the corruption."_

"Who-" but he has an idea who said it.

" _It's difficult - but I will help you. This may be an important ally we can use_ …" He doesn't like the air of manipulation, but he does want to help the poor guy.

Jay gets closer and they actually whimper, then stifle it, bearing their teeth and turning away with a snarl.

"Hey … it's gonna be alright." He tries to say, but has no idea what's going on either. He places two hands on the side of his head, and he whips back around so fast it almost throws him off.

"What are you doing!?"

Jay leans his forehead against the others and a blinding light takes over his vision. It sears from the spot, singeing every nerve, but he is stuck in place as if he were being electrocuted. The other is frozen as well, but seems to be in trance, not feeling the effects. 

It burns like hell but he can hear the other voice speaking to him. It's faint, then rises in volume.

" _Keep going steady - but be careful, we don't want the corruption to spread."_

It feels like he's in a tug o war game, with his soul. He's pulling their soul apart from the stitches of black but in return it's pulling on his soul just as hard.

He's reaching his limit as the last fibers let go and the corruption fizzles without anything to hold on too. 

His grasp is finally released and he falls back with a gasp, collapsing in the sand.

The world is faint and fuzzy.

"Hey, Hey Jay? Dude? You alright?" He hears an unfamiliar voice say, but he doesn't have strength to look up either. They apparently won't get close to him either.

His skin sizzles and fluxes with an indescribable pain, like some potent animal had stung him.

"Jay? That's your name right? I'm sorry man, I really am - I haven't been myself in forever…"

He's barely conscious enough but digs his nails into the ground to steady himself.

"I'm … I'll be ok … just give me a minute."

Jay lies on his side, and the water climbs the beach, soothing at his burns, much to the other man's amazement.

He creeps forward, cautiously poking at Jay. His wounds are fading significantly better here, but he feels ill.

"The creek…" he mumbled.

"Huh?"

"Please…"

Though he seems to understand enough, and loops under Jay's arms, dragging him towards the creek bed. He lets go gently on the bank. Jay places a hand in the water, and flies up to a kneeling position as he wretches a black fluid into the river. It feels better, but acting on it's own, his hand slams over his mouth, holding it back until he's forced to swallow it back down. Once it settles, he feels infinitely better.

He stands up on his own, and looks back at the man.

"I … I'm Jay…" he says.

"... I knew that." The guy Huff's a little laughter.

"What's your name?"

"Oh! Sorry, my name's ... Evan." He hesitates on the actual name part, waiting for something bad to happen.

"Hi … Evan. I … have to get some stuff and go back to my friends … before dark or they'll be upset." He begins to wander but his knees still quake.

"Let me help … did you eat before this?"

"Oh … no I forgot … we were going to have pancakes."

"When did you last eat then!?"

"I think … like a day and a half ago?"

"You can't do that, you're blood sugars gotta be terrible right now!"

"It's good I've for seaweed in the van…"

"No no you should really eat something better than that."

"There's fish in the cave still…"

"Cave?"

He directs Evan towards the area as he stumbles a bit and needs to be supported.

"What the hell did you do? It's kicking your ass!"

"I don't know … I haven't done that before …"

\---

Maybe it's a mix of hunger and suspicion but the guy watches Jay with a constant quirk to his brow, never taking an eye off him. Oh well, Jay has to pack stuff anyway, as he bundles up clothes and tools he thinks he might need. Anything he can carry. He stands up finally with a pack haphazardly strapped in his back that is about the size of another person.

"Ok!" He says with a huff, and wanders to the water.

Evan's expression changes from suspicion to 'Wtf are you doing' as Jay waddles into the wake.

"You coming?"

"What are we, swimming?"

"Oh … no it's not that … you'll see … the water does weird things sometimes."

He throws his hands in the air and marches into the surf.

"This some funky shit man… not the weirdest though…"

"Hold on…"

The water bubbles up, and in a flash they're standing, waves knocking into their knees. It's pouring rain here, but at least it's not too cold.

"Oh …" Evan doesn't look too thrilled to be here. They're back at the ark, though it appears a different side of the city, as he sees a clock tower closest to the ocean.

"God I don't know how big this place is …"

He plants his feet towards Evan.

"I don't know exactly uh … where you want to go but there's … stuff … around."

"I've been here before …."

"Oh…"

"This is where I was before … I don't even know how long ago … I just floated around the ocean kind of aimlessly."

"Well, if it helps I have no idea what time is like here … it's stagnant."

"I'll just walk a while."

"Ok".

So they do just that, the street curving inward - hopefully toward the "fountain" which Jay believed to be some kind of center point. Evan looks … uncomfortable. His arms are crossed and he's darting around to every building and window. He wanders behind Jay but also sticks close at the same time. His nervousness grows with every second before he finally bursts the bubble, wiping hands through his hair.

"God if they see me … I don't know what they'll do … probably going to kill me or something…" 

"Are there people you know here?"

"Last time I checked… oh no what if they're gone … that's even worse…"

"Where would they go?" Jay asked genuinely. He had no idea what really lied outside the city.

"I mean gone as in _dead_ . _Again_ …"

They're interrupted by a gnarly looking gray-skinned humanoid creature, eyes glowing from one of the alleyways.

" _Motherfucker…"_ His body goes taught. Jay blinks at the thing, surprised it didn't immediately disappear like every other monster he'd encountered.

While it lurked, it didn't approach.

"I don't think it will bother us…"

"What!? That's literally it's prime motive."

"I think it's because of me … for some reason."

As if it heard, it gives a strange nod, before slinking away as they pass by, undeterred.

Jay still didn't know much of anything about Evan. He seemed like a regular guy who's off his rocker a bit … maybe a lot. He should probably figure out why he's so nervous before walking in blind.

"Why are you afraid of these people? What will they do?"

"Mmph…" he doddled over the question, then answered.

"They're my friends … and I've done some fucked up stuff, I don't want to sugar-coat it."

Jay keeps silent, urging him to continue.

"You've seen enough weird shit … I don't think you'll find this crazy…"

"You're telling me." Jay huffed.

He turns around again, making sure the creature isn't dead set on attacking them.

"This _thing_ , we'll call it that, used me to do a lot of … bad shit. Fucked up, twisted shit, all while wearing me like a human meat suit. And then even when he wasn't I still wasn't acting fucking sane until you zapped me. I was kind of a dick … and I'm afraid that … if I return to see my friends that they won't be able to get rid of that association. I'm always going to be a _monster._ "

Jay feels a pinch at the painful familiarity. He thinks of Alex and grimaces, but they'd divulged a painful memory, it was only right to share his own.

"I had a friend … who was … I guess he was being persuaded, controlled by this monster… drove him insane… he eve - well, killed me … kinda. Killed a lot of other people too. Some people we didn't even know..." Evan stops and looks at him, he fears for a moment he's said something wrong.

"You're saying you were killed?"

"Well, yeah, at least I was shot, and I think I died…"

"So you've died - and been dead." He squints, gesturing with his palms.

"Uh yeahhhh. People die if they get killed …"

Evan's brows furrow even more and he's baring into his soul.

"That doesn't make any damn sense … _how_ did you die? You shouldn't have…"

"I guess the … "hermit" uh … revived me… back on the island actually, that's where I woke up…" Jay scratches his head.

"That … changes things…" Evan covers his mouth thinking.

"Look, I'm still not sure exactly who or what you are but I don't think you're _him_. Sorry for acting like a douche." He holds his palm out for a handshake, and Jay takes it weakly.

"Who's _him_? What are you so worried about?"

Evan sighed, "It's better really you don't know. Looks like you're already caught up in enough shit…"

They continued their walk.

"So … what do you think … would they actually …"

"I…. If they're really your friends, I think they'd forgive you. Not like you could control it…"

Then his eyes shift to look at Jay.

"Would _you_ forgive him? Your friend?" 

"..." Jay has to think. The line between what was really "Alex" and what was him being controlled - unclear. But he also sees how alone he must've been … even if he … killed him.

"... I … I would … if he were alive. I wish he was alive… yeah I'd be afraid of him but somewhere there's still "him". The "him" that isn't wasn't under control…"

Evan gives him silence to think in.

"I would think …Your friends miss you. I miss him. So don't go getting yourself killed before you know…"

He kills over the words as they keep walking, and then murmurs, "Thanks …For telling me that …"

"No problem."

The wind carries the scent of iron and fountain spray.

As they round the final bend, they walk up hill, a steep incline, and when Jay reaches it he flinches back suddenly realizing there's another person ahead.

It's the man who was retrieving water from the fountain earlier. On cue he feel's the eyes and rotated so fast he could've spun like a top.

He stares first at Jay in controlled panic, with dark brown hair and glasses, then darting over to Evan who Jay now realizes froze several feet behind him.

"Evan?"

"..." He's stuck, and Jay steps to the side, clearing a path.

The man calmly walks over, though his fists are noticeably clenched and shaking. Evan looks smaller as he hunches, curling into himself. But he doesn't run, bracing himself for what's to come.

It doesn't come.

He's pulled into a vice grip hug. His mouth flexes in a flood of several indiscernible emotions.. First he almost smiles, trying to supress himself, as if he could play it off as all fine. Then he shakes like a seizure, his arms coming to wrap around, but they hover, and he shakes more with the terror of what those hands have done. 

"Where the fuck were you Evan?"

"I … I don't know…"

"Hug me back idiot."

So he gives in and returns the tight hug. He sobs quietly into the other man's shoulder.

"You had no fucking right to disappear like that! Leave everyone!"

"I know ... I know that now ... I thought you all would want me gone ..."

"Evan ... Maybe some had a bit of ill will before, but they've come to understand after all this time ... They miss you. I missed you... I thought you were dead for Christ's sake!"

"I don't know ... I was comatose for so long man ... I just remember today and that's it... How long has it been?"

"... You're serious... Evan it's been over a thousand years..."

"W-what that doesn't ... That doesn't make any sense! It couldn't have been more than a few months!"

"No, you were gone so long, I had trouble remembering exactly what your face looked like ..."

"But ... But you didn't forget me?"

"No. I never could. Not after what we've been through. Even if your face goes all blurry on me, I still remember 'Evan'." He breaks down into more sobs and the man pats his back roughly.

There's another man, approaching - they look Jay up and down but seem mostly confused, focused on the 

"Vinnie who's th-" They stop their sentence and rush forward into the hug. The guy's taller than both and duck his head in Evan's hair.

There's a few others that appear next. They ignore Jay and run over. The man's a bit flushed from all the attention, and Jay feels happy for him, giving a small smirk with a twitch of his mouth.

They're speaking hushed amongst themselves, in a mix of sadness and relief. Evan gestures at Jay and they all turn.

They look at him with conviction filled glares and Jay immediately wants to leave. He's had enough today, he wants to be in the comfort of Tim and Brian's presence. There are too many people, too many eyes staring at him, and he needs to take these supplies back to his friends.

He begins to shuffle away, waving goodbye at Evan.

"Hey." He turns around to the man named "Vinnie" walking towards him.

' _Oh god here comes a fight…'_

Vinnie stops a few feet in front of him, and seems to study Jay over.

"I don't know _what_ you are … or if this is some kind of trick but … Thank you."

It was meant as a compliment but it doesn't _feel_ that way. He thinks about getting angry, but it's just not in him, though he doesn't want to just say "it's no problem" and leave like he usually would. Because it _was_ a problem. There was only a mix of fear, hate, and suspicion in their eyes. But in a few … he sees pity. And that hurts the worst. He doesn't want to be around people. He just wants Brian and Tim. This is probably how Evan feels. How Alex _felt_. Like a monster. He needs to cling to the last people he had. Who trusted him.

He realizes he was standing there blankly for a good minute, and the man in front of him waits with bated breath. Jay looks dejected at the ground, then wrings his wrist as he always does when he's nervous. What does he do? He can't lie, but he doesn't want to be an asshole, and he doesn't want to start another argument. He's tired and frustrated and it choked him when he thinks ' _This is probably what Tim feels like too. Alone.'_ And he didn't even know what he did wrong.

He sniffs, wiping his face with his jacket sleeve when a tear threatens to fall, turns with a jerk and starts to swiftly walk away in shame.

"Jay? Hey wait-"

" _Evan stop_!" Vinnie whisper-yells and blocks his way.

"Let go of me Vin, look I'm just as confused as you are but he's not a threat!"

"He could be playing a game, you know _he_ enjoys that shit, we don't even know if Jay's a real person..."

"But he's really a good guy Vinny! I know he's real."

"You don't _know_ that! You know -" but Jay doesn't want to listen anymore and walks out of earshot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know, these are characters from Everymanhybrid


	36. The Trial of HABIT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback to Habit's capture, trial, and sentencing.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jury duty can be crazy like that sometimes

**Flashback**

**(Vinny)**

_A few years prior_ , _yet also thousands..._

That monster really _had_ followed them all the way here. They'd gotten some second chance - suddenly alive again, no time wasting. They followed Habit's roots and found it to be the same place the tall faceless man came from. They were _very_ far down the proverbial rabbit hole. They'd been safe for a few weeks. But they knew that he'd be back. 

Of course it was in Evan's body. Why wouldn't it be? Just because they knew they couldn't stand up to Habit didn't mean they weren't going to damn well try. And besides _\- they had a plan._ Vinny stood by the fountain and it's not even a full ten seconds after Habit entered the center circle of the city that he was surrounded. 

Vinny didn't want to watch, because he knew all of these people would just be slaughtered. A bunch of idiots in fire suits. But Habit **doesn't** move. He tried, momentarily. Then-

" **VINNY, WHAT DID YOU DO HUH!?"** But something's changed, he was _bluffing_. So Vinny stays put. His face contorts into rage.

" **VINNY YOU BETTER FUCKING DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OR I'M GOING TO KILL YOU. IT WON'T EVEN BE FUNNY!"** He ignores the powerful compulsion, the fear, to obey Habit's order. He has too, for Evan.

It dawns on him now that Habit _can't_ move. Then the one known as the devil broke through the crowd and Habit was stuck in place by some arcane symbol.

"Think you can just waltz into my **MY** house and do whatever the fuck you want!?"

" **WHO ARE YOU?."**

"You know perfectly well who I am bitch - there's only one thing that can outsmart you."

**"I'M NOT REALLY DIGGING THE VISUAL EFFECTS, THOUGH YOU'VE CERTAINLY GOT MY ATTENTION."**

"Hate to break it to you, but these are no effects, sunshine!"

" **FUCK YOU."**

"Much obliged."

And then a metal bar cracked through Evan's skull and Vinny almost shouted. But with a burst of light, the weapon was retrieved and Evan convulsed a purple liquid out. He fell to the ground, and in a single file line, his body was pulled into the formation of soot covered uniforms. 

The purple bubbled and molded, growing to tower over the crowd.

 **Mankind's Bad HABIT. In the flesh**.

Habit was terrifying in his real form, which showed in this realm. A large maniacal and gnarly jackrabbit with purple eyes and a jaw of razor sharp canines, so much so his mouth couldn't shut all the way. Writhing bug-like arms protruded from his back, along with hellish black vines. But it was over before he had even made a step towards Vinny. "What if your shit did the opposite of what you wanted!" The devil yelled, stumbling back like they're hit with a load of bricks. His powers are reflected back onto him. He teleports and ends up back in the same spot. He tried to shift dimensions and always ended back in the same spot. All with the devil laughing in Habit's own voice. Mocking the demon.

Or apparently. Mocking the _Angel_. 'The Magician'. He was certainly nothing angelic in attitude or appearance.

There are nets and wires, kerosene and fire, and Habit fights back but only swings at smoke. His many eyes are stabbed out and his strength might as well be matched with all of the firefighters, who act as one body.

Vinny knows what they _really_ are. Partially. And so he doesn't think about it, rather calls them "firefighter's", even though they're nothing of the sort. They burn and kill and chop and bleed and they all move how Habit moves, only a monster can beat a monster.

He sees Habit finally stall. He's bleeding indigo and is impaled from all sides. He can't _die._ But he has still been defeated.

Vinny almost passes out then and there from the shock. It's over.

"And you really thought you were a match for The Tower huh? Even I was able to beat you! How did you ever expect to stand up to him?" They were so much smaller than Habit and looked up at him as they jeered in his face. One eye had healed enough, pupil at a prick, staring at 37 like they were his next meal.

With a puff of smoke he's gone, imprisoned somewhere in the bellows of the ark.

"Well, I'd say that about wrap's it up today… we'll begin his _assessment_ tomorrow. Right now I'm going for a beer."

"I thought you couldn't-" And they're gone too, and then the other firefighter's as well until it is down to the few that were treating Evan. Vinny prefers observation over action first, but he realizes Habit isn't a threat anymore and he's actually allowed to move on his own accord. So he approaches Evan. He looks like shit. But alive. His eyes are open but he doesn't seem to register anything. 

"Vinny I'm a bad person…"

"Just … get some rest Evan, ok?"

But he doesn't.

He doesn't rest, only cries.

He managed to escape in the middle of the night despite their best efforts. He didn't come back. Vinny finally feels the anger he suppressed. For all the things, he was going to make Habit pay for that _especially_. For taking Evan away from him.

And then the day of the "Trial" comes. It's a rather big cliffside but it's only them - Vinny, Jeff, and Steph are the only ones that came to watch.

They're down below on the beach, and the devil sits behind a desk, though they have no actual paperwork in front of them. They sit playing with a knife.

They insist that Habit has a chance to give his own testimony, in which he chooses to berate the everliving shit out of the "judge" for half an hour, though it's useless because essentially Habit was arguing with _himself._ A part consited of a solid five minutes of them yelling "No, Fuck you" back and forth. Vinny wipes his face, almost forgetting this is the demon that tortured him for years on a loop and rather thinks he's serving jury duty. 

Finally they get around to things.

"Now we could spend years reading off every damn crime you've ever done but I've got to get back in time for my 20 hour nap. But the question I'm struggling with is how to sentence you effectively."

**"So you going full Ohio on my ass or we gonna do a New Jersey life sentence?"**

"No, death is nothing too you … life is nothing to you, imprisonment is nothing to you, and any kind of physical torture we could inflict you have both **endured and committed…** you simply do not _care._ " 

Vinny isn't sure whether the fact Habit has been tortured gives him any sanctity. He decides it doesn't. Even he wasn't so sadistic to want to inflict torture… he wonders if his life had continued the same way, if he would've broke that resolve and become just as evil.

A loud snap brought his attention back.

"You know, I've got an idea. Yes this would work splendidly…"

They pulled their feet off the desk, embedding the dagger into the mahogany and hoisting the "Hooligan Bar", as they put it, over their shoulder.

"How do we make the personification of evil _feel_ the weight of his sins? Well, what usually trump's evil is having a **heart**. You lack the aforementioned."

They leaned right in front of the dripping jaws.

"Habit, for every crime you've committed, I assign the punishment that you will receive a consciousness to actually think about the shit you did. Whether you once had one and lost it or you've never felt at all, doesn't fucking matter. After this, you're free to do what you please!"

The three tense at that - surely they can't be serious? They wouldn't just let Habit terrorize them!

**"Oh wow I'm so scared~"**

"Yeah you probably are going to be!" They breathed in.

"Habit, **what if you had a heart?"** 37 collapses back, which Habit laughs at - for a second - and then his face drops, his eyes darting in panic.

"What did you… Oh dear **God** …"

He starts screaming. It's so terribly loud and painful. It is in no way "satisfying." There is no reversing what Habit did and this was making it even worse. The creature starts disemboweling itself, _Habit's trying to kill himself._ But of course it doesn't work, because he can't die here. Jeff covers his ears and starts crying. The screaming is unholy. But 37 makes no motion to stop this episode. They still seem to be _recovering_ on the ground, and they're cackling.

"HA HA HA HA HAAAA! ISN'T THIS A HILARITY!" They jump up and kick at the monster.

"You know - there was always this one _human_ I couldn't get to. They died before I could have my vengeance. Before there was any trial to conviction. But Habit! You've probably done similar things as this person, so watching this shit fest is a bit redeeming - just have to picture their ugly face on your ugly face right?"

"If there's one damn thing in my book that I respect you for, it would be that you didn't hurt the fucking cats - that's the only reason I ain't lynching you!"

It's fucking _sick_. Habit is reduced to a shivering mass, purple blood oozing from where he teared at his flesh. He's _sobbing_. And it's disgusting. It's absolutely disgusting. Vinny wanted to throw up.

_He wonders what Evan would think._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw here is the two soundtracks I listen to while writing.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-zSJVcg1Q7C9SNhX5xxrlMiFIjWA3wig
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOZOnQEKKdjJs76O0mWqirn_r3A6YIxXh


	37. Repetitions of our Past and Future Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim makes a tough decision, and reads Brian's past.  
> Jay(?) acquires a precious thing.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Most times the past is useful but sometimes it fucks you up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I accidentally deleted someone's comment so if I did sorry about that

He briskly walks through the cold sprinkle, arms folded. He needed time to process this … alone, and the frigid temperature helps a bit.

"Tim!"

Well, maybe walking with Jay wouldn't be too bad. He offers to help carry some of the stuff, and they travel in mutual silence.

Jay looks ahead as they walk downhill into a larger street, with various buildings ahead. He doesn't really know where they're going, and that's ok. 

Gorgeous. That's a good word for it. The drizzle covered the city, a fog just thick enough to blur the sky, but yellow lights, street lamps, glowed through the oppressing water droplets. Warmth in the cold drizzle. He walked along aside Tim - who seemed to inch closer and closer every block or so. He told himself it was just because he was cold - Mr. "I don't need a jacket."

"Do you want to borrow my jacket?"

"What-?" Tim jumped over a bit noticing how close he'd gotten.

"You look cold."

"No no I'm fine."

"I think you're fibbing~" He said with a goofy voice.

"You'll never get it out of me."

Jay rolls his eyes, and Tim kind of regrets not taking the coat. _'Maybe it would've smelled like Jay…'_ He gulps.

He looks back at Jay, and back to his hands. Jay. His hands. Jay. His hands. Jay seems normal right now, staring ahead with his usual lidded eyes. But the heavy words of the devil weigh on him. His job is to worry anyway. And he's reached an aggravating moral dilemma.

Tell Jay what he learned. Or don't.

If he lies again, he's just repeating it all over again. Lies got them separated last time. But if he tells, he risks Jay worrying over something he hasn't even fully investigated yet. What if Jay reacts badly? _What if he freaks out?_ And there's another terrible thought. _What if he's put in danger? What if … it's supposed to be a secret? He_ needs to ask someone for help, but who? Brian, maybe but … he wouldn't know anything else either… it would just be another person having to lie to Jay. Tim didn't want to put Brian in that position.

He … has to lie. Bile rises in his throat. He can't tell, not until he knows Jay is safe, that this thing inside him wasn't planning some horrible sabotage. He knew this would probably end bad, but he'd do everything in his power to avoid that. Yes. If he treads carefully, he can work this out.

He looks over to see Jay frowning off into the void.

"Hey, you good?"

"Oh yeah … something just happened earlier …"

"Like what?"

And in Jay's head, he fears telling Tim what had happened. That Jay might also be some kind of psycho monster. He can't tell him. If he does, what if Tim leaves him? He'll lose the last two people he has. No. No that's not an option.

"Nothing … nothing you need to worry about."

"It seems to be bothering you though…"

"I'm _fine_ Tim."

Tim knows that's a lie, but he can't push him or he'll be a hypocrite.

' _God, Jesus, Satan, Fuckin … Hammurabi? Somebody help us.'_

\---

They're back in their little hideout. Sorting gear and a bunch of snack bars Brian stole from the store. They're having a little party sprawled out on the floor, where they play a simple game of war. Jay clocks out rather early in the evening, curling up with an old ratty quilt on the mattress. When he's certain he's asleep, Tim rubs a hand through his hair. Jay opens his mouth, drooling comfortably.

The sun is setting, drawing long shadows across the room, and Brian looks sternly at him, pulling out a notepad, chock full of writing. He'd almost forgotten!

"You sure … you want me to read this?"

He nods.

Brian leans against the window sill, hiding his face against the glass panes. Tim opens the first yellowed page, like some kind of scripture. 

He reads.

  
  


\---

**Flashback**

_200X, Brian_

_He jolts awake_.

 _"Tim!?" That was the last thing he remembered seeing. Brian's never been this scared in his life he thinks. Any sense of composure or humor is replaced by terror. Maybe he would cry if there was time for that. He's in a thick black woods, ground covered in mulch. He shudders, and feels blood caked to the back of his skull and it hurts there. Blood is crusted over to his face too, and he wipes his nose. But lifting his hand to do so he hits something, he angles his head to look in front of him_. _On the forest floor in front of him is Seth. Eyes gray and dead._

" _AH!"_ _He flies back, kicking wood chips. His skin is pale and dead and his neck is deeply bruised, strangled._

_"Oh my god … Sarah!? Please no no no…" he rushes over to the body, and turning her over, finds a bullet holes right through her head._

_He covers his mouth to stop a wail._

_A few steps away is Amy, Alex's girlfriend, shot through the chest, with a mix of hurt plastered to her face before death._

_Fuck. Where's Tim? Where's Alex? He runs into the woods. He fears finding them though, what if they're dead too? No …_

_"... So you're awake already … huh…." He turns at Alex's voice._

_"Alex! Where the hell are we!? What's going on."_

_"Brian … you should've stayed down …Just play dead … It's easier that way."_

_"Where's Tim! Alex what did you do!?"_

_He feels the presence of that thing behind him. The crowbar that had smacked him over the head. It pressed at his back and didn't stop pushing. Oh god he doesn't want to see this again! Please!_

_He wakes up, clawing at his chest. Nothing is impaling him. Nothing is hurting him. He is safe in the bog. Because he's not human anymore. Atleast, not partially._

_But he has a job to do._

_To the ark._

_His mission._

  
  


_December 2010, ???_

_The lines of who is Brian, and who is Eadala had blurred down. They were one creature, most of the time. And who's memories were who's? Indiscernible. They can't even speak the same language but they can_ **_feel_** _. They feel eachother's thoughts and emotions, and work it out that way. Though Eadala takes charge most of the time. He couldn't let Brian out. Not just yet._

  
  


_March 2013, Eadala_

_Alex ambushed him, but the two were prepared._

"Where did they go!? Where are Jay and Tim!?"

_It was both of them now both sides of his face twitching into a human, not-quite human, smile._

_And it was in two voices, which Ead could understand, that they spoke._

_"They're far from here … you'll never find them again."_ But the camera doesn't pick it up. It never does. Distorted static is the only thing that dribbles through.

"Wipe that stupid smile off your face."

_He hits the assailant and flees._

_He was extremely broken, crazy, but it felt alright. He could run into the woods and know it was his home ground. For now. For now he could disappear into mangrove bogs. His recklessness would cost him._

  
  
  


_January 2014, Eadala_

_It's quiet on the front. But the tower still searches. To squash out his remaining foes._

_The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, The Star, The emperor and empress, and the high priestess. He'd imprisoned them all before they could wake up. But The Moon, Alqamar, still remained. And he, Justice. The Tower hadn't caught him yet. Brian is still alive. For now._

_But Eadala makes an unwise choice in his desperation. They are down to two members. And one will not cooperate. So it's up to him, he thinks, as he wanders into the tower's realm._

_Maybe … maybe he could end it here. He wasn't strong, but he was quick. Maybe he could. Maybe. It was better than waiting around for someone to show themselves. He could kill them himself._

_He was wrong. Caught in the heat of trouble. The tower's squeezes and strangles the life out of him. He was going to die if he didn't do something_ **_now._ **

_He let out a crescendoing scream. The last one he ever would. Pressing that thing back, back. He hated him. His throat cracked and shattered with the force, but it was_ **_enough._ ** _He escaped with his life._

_But not with his voice. A fatal wound has been dealt and he glitches into fragments. One second he's in the mangroves, trying to heal the wound in his sternum, and the next he had to leave as the swamps would cave under him. A distortion in his body also affected the rest of him, and his home._

_He'd never felt more alone and helpless._

  
  
  


_2014, Eadala_

_He couldn't believe this guy! He'd done everything and still this man refused to give in. He was pulling straws at this point. So he did the last thing that he could think of, backing over the window sill. It scared Brian though, hand reaching up to stop the fall. Looking at Tim one last time, he understood this plan._

_"I trust you bastard." And he let go._

_He waited there in agony, he just needed that man to see his face. But he didn't. He searched his pockets and took off. He soon knew why._

_'Shit.' He was vulnerable now and the monster was here. So he left for the mangroves. He hated it here. No longer a safe haven after he'd been injured, the swamps threatening to crash underneath him at any moment. Nothing was solid here. But he had no choice. Stay long enough to let the wounds heal, and get the hell out._

_He sits in a place between Earth and the ark. His gate is ruined. He's in a state of constant flux, for who knows how long. And then a door opens. And there is a familiar feeling this way. Alnassik. He wanted to weep. He hadn't forgotten him! He really did come back! But when he arrives on the island, wounds mending, he runs into none other than Jay Merrick - not Alnassik. And he has no idea if this is supposed to be happening. Is Jay allowed to know now? Does he know? Eadala has no idea and takes off to try and hide, much to Jay's chagrin as he chases him all over the place._

_But Brian, Brian speaks for once. He is so terribly alone. They both are. If Jay has made it to this island, it means Alnassik is awake. Jay would be safe to approach. The monsters didn't lurk here. And he could defend himself properly now. So with debate, they decided, to at least check on Jay. See if he was corrupted. Surely the tower would've driven him to such points by now, no? But upon inspection, there is nothing. He is clean of the tar._

_._

_._

_._

_What they both failed to realize, was that Brian's soul was already corrupting, well hidden, but soon, if nothing was done, it would take over. One more bad event may push him over the edge._

_\---_

Tim stays up a while past Brian, who had passed out next to Jay about an hour ago. He's meticulously pouring over the notes, absorbing every detail provided. He almost wishes he had reading glasses and a pen to tap against his mouth.

It's … incredible … and awful. There's so much information here though. Brian had been conscious most of the time, unlike Tim. His experience was invaluable. With this he could better understand himself, and Jay. Though how to actually help Jay was a mystery. Was it possible for him to tap into these "otherworldly powers"? That could provide something to use against the operator. If he could learn it that is. He wants to protect them most of all. And stop waking up with no memory. He wants to retain _something_. His brain is exhausted from storming and he finds sleep easy to come by when he carefully lays between Brian and Jay, propping his sore leg up on a pillow.

He hopes for the day where he can feel comfortable wrapping himself up to Jay and Brian. But for now, he falls asleep on his back, fisting a blanket with too many tears in it to provide any cover.

\---

It's late in the night, and his eyelashes gently stir in the pale room light. A ghostly breath pasts his lips. He rotates his head. Tim and Brian sleep peacefully. He moves in a long t-shirt he used for Pj's, barefoot on the wood planks. He wraps himself, concealing his identity with a blanket. Step, by teetering step. Towards the door. Descending the stairs. Step by step.

Walking in the night air. Feet cold on brick and slab pavement. Step, by step. Pale ankles, heels and soles making contact with the road. Step, by step, by step, by step.

There is no one and nothing. The streetlights are dark, some broken. Only Jay's shadow stretches far behind him as he is pulled to some location. No eyes witness him from the window panes, only the antiquated objects. Trinkets, hats, furniture. Each building a treasure trove. But this isn't the treasure he seeks.

Gliding across the moore, cool night wind buffeting the quilt hood. His feet against long grass. He vaguely knew where he was going in this entranced state. Back to the temple. He stands at the precipice of the pit, then steps out and falls. There are bells singing to him, air currents churning in the large chasm in a haunted melody.

Before the bottom, he slows, his toes making gentle contact.

The water chants to him, wailing and whistling, as it ripples around his toes. His reflection glows like the moon, but his eyes are closed.

His eyelids rise in slowed time. Blue eyes now dark and hollow.

There - in a beam of moonlight. A large, white, pristine egg. He gently traced nimble fingers over the shell, and carefully, so carefully, bundled it in the fabric. Such a beautiful thing. He would protect this egg. He would hatch it - and then …

_He would eat it._


	38. Anima Vesta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby finds the hotel has a problem of frequent intruders.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> EGGGGGG

(??? Pov)

_Hunger hunger hunger…………………………_

_…………………….Did something bad. Hunger._

_Shoot them……………………………………….._

_Did something bad.………Amy...………………_

_Something bad.………………………………….._

_………………………………………Evil evil evil. Hungry. Hungry.………………………………….._

_Smell blood. Hungry. Hungry. Jay. Did something bad. Brian. Sarah. Seth…………………………………………………………………………………………………….._

_Did something bad. Bad. Bad. Sky. Tree. Dirt. Dirt. Dirt. Dirt. Water. Dirt. Sky. Sky. Sky. Cloudy. Building. Stone. Stone. Stone. Stone. Did something bad. Jay? Jay._

_Tim. Blood. Blood. Blood._

_Fire. Did something bad._

_Tree. Tree. Grub. Yum. Worm. Yum. Hungry. Smell. Crow. Crow man. Man. Deer. Run Away._

_Jay Jay. Did something bad. Jay._

_._

_._

_._

_Who am I?_

_No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No._

\---

Toby's awakened from his floor bed by Harvey squawking madly, and he blinks to see none other than a corrupted soul in the room. This one has feathers poking out of its arms. Jessica is not in the room and he lets out a sigh of relief, before picking up his hatchet.

As he prepares a blow, it turns.

He stops. It's eyes - rather than perfect circles - slouch and droop in misery.

It fingers at the bars of the cage and manages to unhinge the lock, as it pulls out a black, speckled egg.

It's mouth opens, stretchy black strands where it parts.

"ehhhhhhhhhhh-" It's strained but audible.

"Hey! You can talk!? Wow!"

"Eh"

"What does 'eh' mean?"

"eeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggg" It suddenly took Harvey's egg and started shoving it in its staticy mouth.

"HEY NO THAT'S HARVEY'S EGG!" Without hesitance he started wrestling the egg out of the things arms.

"EHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGG." They sound distraught, but made no move to attack.

"I'LL GET YOU SOME OTHER FOOD OK?"

"GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG"

It rolls around on the floor.

He walks backwards out of the room, and runs to the elevator.

Toby wandered the vegetable garden, searching for food. ' _I don't know what corrupted souls eat … besides eggs apparently.'_

He pushed the dirt aside with his gloves around and pulled some potatoes out, brushing them off. Returning inside, he knocked at the kitchen shutters. The toad chef opened.

"Um hi - could I have these potatoes cooked? Dd-doesn't matter how, anything's fine ..."

They stared at him for a moment- then croaked, and took the potatoes, shutting the doors.

Toby walked around the lobby, nervously eyeballing the bell hob - which he was 90 percent sure was a cat … or a bat? - under the uniform. He was wondering where Jessica was, if not down in the lobby, and decided to go peak around.

\---

Jessica opened the room door and held back a gasp, a corrupted soul standing standing in the middle of the room. They stare at one another. Then … they made a strange sound, emitting from their throat like …. Sobbing. Jessica was about to close the door and get help, but it _spoke_.

" **eeeesssseeejjjj** " But she made a quick translation.

There's only one person that ever called her "Jesse". But it couldn't be. Because that person was missing … oh who is she kidding - dead. **Amy** is dead. There was a slight hope that she was alright, and just missing. But when Alex turned the gun on her in that tunnel, she had a feeling about what happened to several others.

It's mouth cracked, and it's fingers scratch white scars under its eyes.

" **alive….."** it trills. Jessica looked closer. Now that she was thinking about it, their body did appear more feminine, with sharp needle-like protrusions extending from the back of their arms. Feathers, she thinks.

It whimpers like a sad puppy, grabbing Jessica when her guard is down. It shakes her shoulders, and her eyes travel over to the mirror behind it. A woman with light blonde hair was reflected. It couldn't be. But it was.

"A-amy!? Is that you?" She said quietly, afraid to tempt fate.

 **"aaacciiissseeejjj…** **jjjjjesssssiiiiicccccaa"**

"Oh … my … how, what happened?" Tears choked in her throat, as she returned the embrace, despite the risks involved.

**"corrupt they will take us soon"**

She pulled back.

"I… who's taking you?"

**"taking our souls for profit"**

"Amy, who!?"

" **they will take us to the white door we will be gone soon from here"**

"What do you need me to do?" Amy's hands, partially covered in black staticy feathers, held her own.

**"don't follow us you can still be saved"**

"No, wait Amy, what are you talking about? You're right here with me, I can help you! And what do you mean be us? Who's us?" She fired a mile a minute.

 **"know soon secrets everywhere"** Amy's hand rubs at her cheek softly, **"cannot do not follow you … must … live"**

"Amy … Please don't go away, we can stop them from taking you wherever ok? Don't talk like that! Come with me, I know someone who can help!"

Toby opens the door to find Jessica with the creature, sitting on the edge of the bed, hands folded together. He stalls, but doesn't attack.

There's a burst of static from Amy's chest cavity, and she shreds an object from her core. It's a white mask, with a distinct sheen, swirling nonsensical blue lines, and colorful feathers like some kid's art project glued to the sides. She hands it over.

" **live"**

Backing away, the ghost is consumed by a burst of light and smoke, Amy is gone.

"Toby. We _have_ to find her." She spits out. He freezes up, eyes darting back and forth. 

"Alright … I'll follow you wherever." 


	39. The Horned Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Toby meet a soul on a whole different level
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Lol fuck you Albert

Jessica marches down the corridor into the lobby with Toby in tow.

"Good morning." Mr. Crow says from behind the counter.

"Sir did you see, that corrupted soul!? Where did it go? We need to find her!" 

"Calm down, calm down, I was just about to address that - though unusual, souls have gotten into the hotel before, I don't know where they went, and finding her may not be a recommended course of action."

"Look she's my friend, thing or not, she didn't try to hurt us! And she talked too!" She left out the part about the mask.

His beady eye studied the ground, thoroughly thinking it over.

"If you're going to go after another, it is better to deal with your own _corruption_ first."

"Ok sooooo … how do I fight it?"

"Ha!" He let out a caw of laughter.

"Your soul, Ms. Locke, is not … like the ones you've encountered. Not as … corporeal. With corruption the souls have an almost unlimited plethora of anomalies which they can commit. Before you go after your own, I think it's best you both see for yourselves, the types of things these less-than-humans can do. If you're ready that is…"

Jessica gave him a determined glare.

"Shall we?" He gestures to the elevator, and with a moment of debating glares, they stepped in. Mr. Crow didn't follow, but as the lift stopped, and opened to a dark, decrepit forest, he stood in the fog and dead leaves.

"Follow me."

They flow just like the mist over the dirt floor, and the black-barked trees. Jessica can't help but notice that Mr.Crows feet _barely move_. He doesn't walk, more glides. Sure they had the heads of animals, but the rest of their bodies … Were always covered. Even the deceased guests. All gloves and sleeves, not a loose bit hanging out to indicate anything. It was … creepy. Unnerving. But she also had to remind herself that they still, essentially, acted like people. Off-putting in the way some orangutans could learn sign language and understand many advanced things … human but not human.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, she was distracted by the growing fog, water droplets thick in her throat. Toby's ears and nose twitched like a rabbit, vision compromised.

"Followin' us…" Toby whispered.

She nods her head but stays silent. There are no crickets or birds here, only the sound of distant wind. The trees extended up into the fog endlessly. The canopy was invisible.

Soon, it all looked the same. Even Mr. Crow, a few feet ahead, was becoming obscured. 

It's not until he's nearly invisible that they stop.

There is an angry cracking, and a small explosion. Popping. A tree nearby bursts open, wood shards flying.

"The water is freezing inside the trunks." Mr. Crow explains.

"It's not … that cold…"

"It's a couple of degrees above absolute zero, dear. But you're safe. For now."

Then, like a reaper, a horseman of the apocalypse, a solidly formed silhouette pushes through the haze, a few feet taller than Jessica. It's eyes appear like headlights, shining down on them. Atop it's head, an enormous and impressive rack of antlers twisted and splitting into several paths like creeping vines. It is at least half their own size. It falls a few meters short of Mr. Crow, radiating what could best be described as "Mega-Pissed" energy.

"Well, that wasn't too hard to find. Guess he really doesn't like you. Or me. Pity. That there is my great-great-great nephew - I honestly forgot how many greats there were, he's too much of a prick for me to care. Shit literally happened more than a century ago."

"Ok but what's his _name_?"

"Oh, his name _was_ Albert. Also known as Deranged Man, Psychotic twat, And 'you got beat by a cripple you old fuck' But I believe the Americans would call him: 'An asshole.'"

"This can't possibly get worse."

"It most certainly can. Ahem. IDA NEVER LOVED YOU TO ANYWAY!"

Now it was - somehow - even more pissed off.

"Have fun." And he disperses in a sound of wings flapping. ' _Asshole.'_

Their job was to observe … well they were looking at it. What now?

But it was obvious "Albert" had played this song and dance before. He was ever-threatening with the full rack of antlers, and the way the forest warped and contorted to his will. 

With a twitch, he teleports closer to them, head manically shaking in rage. 

"YEET!" Toby decides now is a good time to land a blow. But the air freezes, and so does the weapon.

What the hell was that!?" Jessica yelled.

"It's not my fault!"

The corrupted soul plucks the hatchet. Then like butter, bludgeons a tree down. 

"Spread out!" Commands Toby as they hide.

With an opening she runs to where Toby was situated.

Accept …He wasn't. She looks around, runs a bit. Nothing.

"Toby!?" ' _Shit._ ' He's gone. She's alone. Besides Albert.

She decides to make a break for it - find the edge of the forest and regroup with Toby. But this was ridiculous! Weren't they just supposed to learn what they could do? What else _does_ it do!?

Whilst running through heavy fog, The answer reveals itself rather quickly.

The forest is sideways now, and she balances on the endless trunk. A headless deer falls from somewhere above, along with stones and statues, etched with symbols. An old, empty coffin. A whole church smashes above her, boulders and metal falling around her. She clutches to the branch until it has all moved by.

The forest shakes again, and it's upside down. She wrapped her arms and legs in a bear grip. But the tree above her cracks.

The horned man tears through the trunk.

"Oh please don't…"

It breaks, and she falls into the endless sky, screaming.

She hits a crystalline and thin web, breaking her fall. As she collides with it, all the glistening dew catapults into the air like a diamond shower. 

She recognizes, now, where she is.

Rosswood. 

But it's not Rosswood exactly. The sky's red and dark, like she could see at night. She hears a snapping of twigs, and without her control, she surged forward. 

**Now** , she was the one chasing herself and Jay through the woods, gun in hand. And it's not her voice but Alex's, yelling incoherent static when she speaks.

Sunlight - she bursts through to the edge of the forest, next to the late and the corruption seeps back in fear of the sun. She looks out at the lake.

Jay stands, in a dress -

A familiar dress, actually - it's the same one that dead woman had been wearing… the one who fell out of the clock.

His eyes are closed. Behind him a shadow creeps out.

"Jay lookout!"

**BANG**

His eyes shoot open and a spot opens on his stomach. He falls back into the water.

"Jay!" She thrashed forward into the lake, kicking around, but there is not a body to be found. Instead, a black cube rises in his place.

" _Th_ _is a warning."_ A voice says to her, but she doesn't panic hearing it, rather a calming sensation like warm milk, like an old friend.

"What kind of warning?"

" _For the future, for the past, for something that has_ **_already happened_** _."_

Her brain turns and turns and stops.

"What - what do you mean by that? Hey! What does that mean!?"

But she falls forward into the black cube, revealing a cabin sitting on the lake's edge.

She regains her bearings just as the voice comes back.

" _We are intruders here. The owner will be back soon. We must get out."_ With that the wooden walls crack and splinters with black marks of ashes and skulls, shaking the structure. She rushes around, spying first a green gem which she picks up. Anything useful at this point.

A paper, stapled to a tree, depicted an arrangement of items, a diamond, a coin, an apple, an eye, and a shell. 

" **The past is never dead, not even past."** , reads the paper.

She tears into the drawers and cupboards as if she's done this a hundred times before, grabbing the objects as they make themselves known. The building is screeching now, the water outside churning and bubbling, she shakes hastily on the floor as she places down the shell first. The corrupted body of Albert rises from the lake, pulling itself onto the dock end, just as she sets the last item in place.

Nothing happens.

" _Replace the diamond with the emerald,"_ The voice speaks, and there's no time to question. She swaps it out and conks the heavy diamond at the things forehead. There's a bright green flash, as a pentagram-like web holds the creature back. She turns, and can see the elevator behind the creaking wall boards. She tears them open and rushes in, spamming the button and slamming the metal gate behind her.

She breathes.

"Holy …" She slides to the floor of the lift, rezoning herself with the clinking of pulleys and cable wire.

' _Jay.'_ She'd left Jay behind. Or atleast, some kind of apparition.

"What do you mean by something that's already happened!?" She shouts.

"Answer me! Please! What happened to Jay!?"

But there is no answer. She's left in the dark.

A few minutes of a pitch black shaking, she steps back into the lobby of the hotel, wobbling like she has the bends.

"You did it!" Toby surges forward, hands clenched in joy, and almost jumping off the floor.

"Well done. I believe you're ready. Would you like to wait a bit or continue from here?"

"I…."

She sinks to the floor.

"I'm just gonna lay here for a second and reevaluate my life choices…"

"That's alright, take your time." Mr. Crow walks off with a tap of his cane.

Toby stares down at her, until she rolls onto her back.

"Hi!" He waves. But something behind him takes her attention. The ceiling is … moving.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" She points - Toby looks, "WHAT THE FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK" and they're both screaming.

The ceiling is a giant green and blue eye, staring down at them. It blinks, eyelashes fluttering.

"Oh so you've finally looked up I see! Yes that's quite normal." 

Their screaming wanes into a small crying noise.

"Don't hurt her feelings now, if she cries you're cleaning up the mess."

"She!?"

"Yes. Her name is Laura."

"Uh … H-Hi?" Jessica gives a little wave, and the eye blinks in acknowledgement. 

She stands, all the while the sensation of staring burns into her skull, and brushes herself off.

"Well … I don't know if I'm ready but, I'd rather get it over with then put it off …"

"Excellent decision. There will be a boat ready within the hour, I suggest recouping before it is time."

She smiles nervously.

" _Great_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, Albert, Ida, all these minor characters are from the Rusty lake games


	40. Beneath the Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica faces the turbulence of her corruption.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Don't do drugs kids and DO NOT try to wrestle your cultist neighbors, they will burn you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story is told in a way that doesn't spoil the actual games, except for the whole murdering everyone in the hotel part, but you figure that out about 2 minutes in.

It's a quiet afternoon as they're ferried across the lake - Mr. Crow slowly steers the gondola as they glide. From here they can get a good view of the hotel. It's definitely one whole island, and it shines beautifully off the water, like a white castle with copper roofs now turquoise with age.

"It's a lovely building … who owns it?"

"The hotel is run by yours truly, Mr. Owl, also the proprietor of our state of the art mental health treatment."

"Which you also murder people in…" Jessica deadpanned.

"Correct. In order to keep the lake satisfied, sacrifices must be made. See, this area runs on paganism."

"I noticed a private room on the top floor, it's always occupied, is that where he lives?"

"Yes, his retreat."

"Are we ever going to meet him?" Toby asks, surprising Jessica.

"No, you don't want to meet Mr. Owl."

"Why not?"

"Well first, he's quite a busy man, and second, the fastest way to meet him is adorning your skull on a plaque."

".... Ok."

"Besides, Mr. Owl says you're only temporary guests." 

"Aren't all guests -" Toby began before Jessica slaps a hand over his mouth.

"I understand why we're guests, but not _how_ we're here." Jessica speaks over Toby.

"Because, and I qoute '"Some dumb author bitch really likes this series.'"

"What?"

"Did you say something? I didn't say anything." The Crow winked.

"Whatever…"

The boat gently hits the opposite bank of the lake, and they step out with a wobble, almost falling back in the mud. Mr. Crow simply appears behind them on the grassy beach.

"I believe this is the closest land point to the necessary location." He taps his cane, then points it to a spot in the water.

"You will have to make this journey _alone_. This is a journey into your mind - Mr. Rodgers won't be able to follow."

"So what do I like ... meditate?" 

"Oh, if only it were that easy my dear." He lowers the cane and raises his opposite arm.

" _Down there."_ Gloved finger pointing at the lake.

She blanks out for a second, then speaking, "... Scuba diving?"

The crow man let out a caw of laughter.

"No … no you can swim down yourself. It's not that far."

"But … that sign said it was more than 50 meters deep!"

"Measurement is irrelevant to the lake. It will be as deep as you _feel_ it is.

"But why is my soul … down there?"

"Most souls tend to congregate in the lake… I believe yours is less bloodthirsty, more - in a constant state of panic. Unlike Mr. Rodger's."

"But the soul is also in my head?"

"Yes."

Jessica sighs, "Yeah that seems about right for this place."

"Is that firefighter person a corrupted soul?" Toby blurts out.

"Who?" The other two say in unison.

"The dude in the … old ass … fire thingy."

"I don't remember seeing that." Jessica says.

"Oh … I think it was before I met you…"

Mr. Crow cuts in, "They wouldn't have happened to have a - sarcastic inclination…"

"I don't … I don't think so, but they did have a voice that screamed "asshole.'"

"Ughhhhhh," he groans, pinching his beak. "It seems I have a problem with _pest control_. I'll return later, you should have succeeded by then. Or have died." He disappears in a burst of black feathers.

Their attention returns to the blue, depthless lake - No use putting it off anymore. She kicks her shoes off, attempting to wade into the water, but instead, walks on it like smooth glass.

"B-be c-cairrfull." He covers his mouth hastily.

"I will. Stay here. I'll be back in a jiffy."

With that the surface breaks, and she falls under. Her eyes had closed in preparation, but with the brush of the wind, she takes a peek.

She stands on a dock, in front of a familiar island feet bound by an indiscernible pull, and she is guided forward. A man with the mask of a rabbit stands in between the trees with a torch, saying nothing as she approaches, eyes following behind the mask as she walks past. Further down the path, through an assortment of birch and hickory trees, a red haired woman stands with the mask of a pheasant. This one does acknowledge her.

"You're not him, are you?" 

"N-no … who is he?" The woman ignores her question.

"This isn't your memory. Stay vigilant. Eyes blinded by the fog cannot see the truth. The owls are not what they seem."

She is pulled along, past an old woman in a pigeon mask, a pot-bellied man in a boar mask, and finally, a man in a deer mask. 

"You are ready to meet your destiny." He says, but his eyes are gray and gone.

The mysterious spell brings her to a stop.

A large wooden structure of an owl burns in the night. Tied to a pole inside, a burnt body of a woman in an owl mask - it's her. She just knows, it's like looking at a mirror. _'Eyes blinded by the fog cannot see the truth.'_ It's _not_ her. Her feet break loose of the mystic pull.

"What!?" The man in the deer mask yells. She rushes forward into the burning structure, grabbing a floating object which calls to her. Another black cube.

The woman with red hair walks from the forest, tossing the mask aside.

"Elizabeth!? What did you do!?" 

"Something I should've done long ago, father. _Fear didn't make me blind_." She looks at Jessica with cloudy eyes, pointing to the destroyed remains of a stone building.

"Go. Now." She says, and Jessica doesn't stick around to find out what happens next. 

Inside the mini temple, a gold rimmed well sits with a golden chained box, and like the action has repeated itself a thousand times, she places the cube in, and it descends into the well.

The world flashes and swirls around her, eyes squeezing shut at the brightness. When it dims enough, she uncovers her elbow from the bridge of her nose.

Stillness, one foot in the strange stream, the other on the land. Before her is yet another mirror image of herself, both of them holding a chalice.

"Hey-" a rope of liquid swings out and connects the two cups, then her other self smiles wickedly, and pulls. It was unexpected - she gasps, face-planting into the stream. The current is horrible, frigid, and she can't feel a top or bottom to the endless water.

This was hell. She is disoriented and the lake has no mercy, spinning her endlessly in a funnel.

Mirrors everywhere. In one shows a corrupted soul with the head of a stork, to her left an earthworm, her right a lizard, behind her a fish. They press their faces to the glass, hitting it, in warning. A rough hand grabs her ankle, dragging down, down until she smacks against the muddy bottom, remaining breath seeping out. It hurts so bad, she thinks her skull may be broken, as red twists around her. She sees her assailant, the same boar spirit that tried to get them in the cave. She is surrounded by even more.

 **"you killed us …. you let him kill us ..."** They allsall a chorus in her head.

**"one of us ... die with us … join us"**

She wants to yell that she doesn't care, but she's still, brown hair floating in the darkness, body suspended and eyes rolled back

**"give up … it will be easier that way … Jay doesn't need you"**

_'What!?'_

**"he's dead … one of us … you can come too … share our pain …"**

_'Jay? What do they mean?'_

**"jay merrick is dead … amy walters is dead … alex kralie is dead…"**

But they didn't say _Tim_.

**"tim has forgotten you … there is no need to fight anymore…"**

But that-

**"no one wants you…"**

Maybe … they were right … if she stopped now … she could repent for her sins among these depths. She wouldn't have to think about any of it. Stripped down, raw. Only emotion …

No she doesn't want to die here. Please, anywhere else...

' _I don't want to be here anymore.'_

One echo breaks through the cacophony.

" _You are so much stronger than you know. So much smarter than you think_."

There it was again, speaking in her reeling head. She was spinning around so much she couldn't make sense of where the surface was.

" _You can break this."_

In a flurry of renewed air, screaming into the water- 

" **I'M NOT READY TO GIVE UP!"**

The bubbles sail up, and she follows the trail. So clear. So light. So un-muddled, that she wonders how she had endured life before. Ground forms under her feet as the currents whip and thrash all around her figure, but fail to unbalance her.

" _We will end this."_

She can feel the strain against something branching from her back, but she held strong, toes digging into stone beneath her. Something white and flurry coils around her, protecting her face from the grit that flies around like sandpaper, with a powerful swoop, the raging liquid stops.

She was dry, and standing on … marble? The room looked to be a white box. 

_A white cube_.

Movement caught her eye and she twisted to see feathers just outside her vision. 

"What the!?" She chases them in a circle and topples over in a flurry of limbs. There is a wing beating against the floor like a frantic swam and she realizes that _she's_ doing that. Managing to bring it to a stop, she straightens herself out. It's like having a second set of arms, big, bulky, and clumsy arms, having to lean forward to keep from falling.

There was another presence with her. She turns, mouth dropping open. 

" _Yo_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more briefly adding more minor characters in the background cus I'm a hoe for Rusty lake.
> 
> The way Jessica stands in the stream and holds a chalice is a reference to a certain tarot card which I can't remember if I've revealed yet or not whatever.


	41. Temperance and The Hanged Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica meets a familiar face and Toby comes to a painful realization
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Another fantastic day of "Shit I have to put up with" starring Jessica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little uh warning there's gonna be some dark discussions ahead and mentioning's of past suicidal behavior, but it's very brief. Some minor violence but when is there not.

"Long time no see."

"It's - You! I remember you!"

"Heh." The 'cop', "orange" stood, coincidentally, in an orange coat, with a lime green bandana covering their neck, which they twisted at. They look a bit worse for wear, and she tries to ignore the gaping hole through their torso like a portview window. One small corrupted antler branches from their forehead, pink buds sprout out like budding cherry blossoms. But for all that she's seen, this is pretty normal.

"Where are we?"

"You're white cube … You uh … you know your place is already taken. You can get out of here… you soul's all clean and shit … nice job."

Jessica didn't know what to say, staring in awe, shifting and swaying. Her mouth opens to speak but closes each time, until finally- "Why can't … Everytime I look away I forget your face, why can't I see it!?"

"Oh …That's not the first question I thought you'd asked … and uh well … it's complicated, but trust me you probably don't want to see my face… it's not my face… not my body … I feel like an imposter …So uh … yeah that…"

"What … happened to you? Who killed you!?"

They smile sadly.

"I don't know... I don't think I'll ever know."

"You're … kidding me…" She felt like sinking through the floor. "So that's it huh … it's just over … you're dead and they just ... get away with it …"

"No … they've suffered for their crime."

"What? They?"

"All I learned - actually - all that I wanted to know, is that my body was a sacrifice to some dumb ass scheme." They folded their legs on the floor. "It wasn't personal. No. It was just - wrong time and place. Just another name and, unfortunately, another face." They hold a palm under their head to accentuate.

"The person who did it, they will forever be a slave to a monster. And that truly … is the saddest fate. They couldn't raise out of the gutter like your friend there."

"... Like Toby…"

"Exactly."

"That's … a lot to process."

"Well if you want more to add on I'm Alrajul, The Hanged Man and you're possessed by Aietidal - Temperance."

She blinks.

"Come again?"

"You know like the tarot cards, the major Arcana … all that uh, hippy shit?"

She continues her silence like crickets.

"You, Jessica, are possessed by an angel, Temperance, to help defeat that faceless bastard who is the Tower, Harut."

".... What."

"Tower is bad guy, you are good guy with special powers."

"You're the hanged man … and I'm Temperance..."

"Yee."

"And that tall faceless thing is … The Tower?"

"Yee."

"And they're all angels."

"Mmhmm."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why us? Why me, why would an "angel" want to possess me!? And why specifically Temperance. Why are you the hanged man??" She turns back to Alrajul.

"Well … me… I tried to kill myself several times, because I was out of control. And I needed control. That's why I originally became a first responder ...you know, because I thought I could have control. I could protect, and save, help people on their worst day…. I was going to be a firefighter, at first. I passed the exam, the classes, the background checks. Then, they took another physical exam. My left lung collapsed while I was in a two by two tunnel thirty feet under the ground. I had stage three lung cancer. Undetected. I woke up in a hospital screaming through a tube lodged down my throat, high on a combination of drugs and wires and needles and white walls and the smell of bleach and I was crying like a baby. You know how old I was?"

"I ummm … 30?"

"I wish … I was 19. You ever heard of a 19 year old with lung cancer?"

"I mean … now I have."

"Ha! Yeah, yeah you're right. Well …" They bit at a gloved finger, trying to gnaw at the skin.

"I couldn't be a firefighter, didn't have the money to go to med-school. Couldn't join the military, couldn't nothin- but they had 'pity' on me. Told me it would be such a waste working in an office my entire life. And I somehow managed to bullshit my way through the psychological aspects. I always looked for a reason. Something that I could control. But the scariest damn thing … it was by chance. Life can't be controlled. It was really just … meaningless to worry about death. Oh shit I'm rambling I'm sorry, I haven't talked to anyone in forever, really fucking lonely-"

"It's - it's ok I get it … I mean I've never been dead so … I probably shouldn't judge."

"You sure? Because I'm a fat mouth. I will chew your ears off."

"Yes. I'm positive." 

They wiggled, swaying side to side and clapped their hands.

"You're the best! Anyway, So they made me an old country cop. Write a ticket, fill out some paperwork. Day's over. No strain on my one lung. And then next thing I know I get lured into the forest and killed by some bat shit lady. Bing bang done. You know it was actually before I met you …"

"Waitwhatthefuck-"

"Yeahhhhh probably should've mentioned that … see, I didn't realize I was dead. I done got killed like, 2 hours before you drove by?"

"HA!" She stood and leaned against the wall. "Ok, I've seen a lot of weird stuff this week … but -" she coughed. "Holy shit I got pulled over a ghost! Ha ha ha ha ha!" She laughed until tears threatened to spill. "This is insane! It's like I was predestined for this!"

"That's probably not far from the truth. Anyway I was like 'Oh I should probably like … Do my job' ya' know? Cus running a stop sign at 55mph is scary. And then once I realized I was dead uh … don't know … drifted awhile. Then I came here and -" They tapped their fingers, then, ever so slowly, pulled at the bandana, scrubbing at the static that coated their face.

"I don't want you … too associate this body with me … I wasn't her … I just ended up this way …" they had the visage of a deathly pale woman, eyes like black marbles and bleach blonde hair. Veins in their face were filled with black and showed faintly under the skin. She thinks carefully about her words, still a bit afraid of hurting someone who is already partially corrupt.

"She was a lot … better than me … better talker too. Better thinker too…"

"How about … you tell me about her then? So I'll associate her with that?" Jessica hopes it's a good choice, as they seem to enjoy talking. Keep them talking and they will be fine.

"Oh … well …" While their eyes were all one color, the light reflected in them warps as they look up, towards the back of their head. 

"Her name was - Emma, Emma Vanderboom … and she was … a mother … a woman in the late 1800's … she … her son went missing. But really Emma's brother … Albert … well he did something bad … and she hung herself ..."

 _'Albert'_ The name rings a bell, antlers branching in her mind.

"Maybe that's also why you're the hanged man?" 

Their lips made an "o".

"That … makes a lot of sense… why I have … this-" they gestured, and then their face is coated over again in static.

"Ok so … I get why you're the hanged man, but why am I 'Temperance' and not some other … weird …stuff."

"I don't know. Only you can answer that. What part of your life, can you say, _made you_ the vessel for Temperance?"

"I … don't know much about Tarot cards…"

"HA! Me neither! Guess you'll have to ask someone that does know!"

And though it isn't _that_ funny, they both giggle at the absurd stupidity of it all.

"AH AH WAIT THERE'S SOMETHING I WAS SUPPOSE TO TELL YOU BEFORE YOU WENT!" They nearly fall back from the force of their own surprise.

"I have a message, I knew you could interpret." They rest a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm all ears."

It spills out in numbers at first, but quickly corrects itself and echoes around her head like a cave.

" **One day you will understand. Secrets everywhere. Look closely and you will know. See you soon**."

With the last "soon" echoing, the white marble swirls around her, and the water comes rushing back.

\---

Toby has been sitting at the lakes edge for at least ten minutes now, fighting the urge to go searching, despite how little good it would do. The nerves got the best of him and he calls out.

"J-Jess-i-ca!?" He hated the stutter in his words when he got nervous. 

There is only a trail of bubbles where she had disappeared. But she told him not to follow. The crow man told him not to follow. That they wouldn't even be in the same place … why did she have to face it alone? He didn't have, he had her help … but somewhere, beneath the murky blue and black, she was fighting without aid.

_'She can handle it, it's fine it's fine!'_

That's what he said about Lyra.

 _'I can't do this again. Please not again.'_ He shook, counting from ten. He had to _move_. 

She burst forth, shattering the glass surface of the lake. Suddenly, the ground was under her now and she stood in ankle high water.

She holds a black cube in one hand, a white in the other. The two blend together into a beautiful blue, A blue heart of conviction that would not be broken. 

The corrupted souls had receded in trying to prey on her, at least for the moment.

Her eyes open, brown hair laying on her shoulders over a green sundress, adorned with optical illusion in the form of squares.

Toby holds his breath.

"Hey Toby." She smiles, and he rushes forward into a hug.

"You did it! You did do it didn't you?"

"Yes yes I did, it's over."

His eyes flicker to the dress again and it clicks.

 _"_ Where d-id you get the dress?"

"I'm not sure, it was just … there ... like right now I just go it."

"Isn't that … never mind."

"No what were you going to say?"

"Isn't that … the dress that lady had on … the dead one. From the mill."

She buffers like a dial up modem.

"Does that mean I'm going to die…?"

"No!" Toby yelled. Then quieter. "No, don't worry you're with me!"

"Ha ha, alright, I believe you."

He beams at the validation.

"So … think he's coming back for us?"

"No clue, guess we could just … take a walk or somethin'."

So they do just that. It's a sunny day, a slight breeze billows through the green dress and striped hoodie sleeves - It would be peaceful if not for the idle fear of what lurks at the murky bottoms.

"So … what was down there?" Toby says nonchalantly, but his fingers dart about saying otherwise.

"It was … weird … well normal weird for this place considering … but I saw someone … someone from long ago…"

"Did you know them?"

"Not … really, actually … We only met once but they said some interesting things… Toby can I ask a weird personal question?"

"Ok…"

"Do you … ever hear a voice, not like a schizophrenic voice or a hallucination, but a solid voice at the back of your head?"

"Uh … like thoughts?"

"Pff, no no, thoughts are up here-" she taps her forehead, "I mean back here." 

"I … can't say that I have … I would have to hear it know it … why is it something that's bothering you?"

"Down there, I found out … the operator is … an angel?"

"Like the Bible?"

"I guess? I don't know … it has something to do with tarot cards… apparently his real name is Harut? The Tower? Look I'm just getting this fresh out of the box."

"Wack…"

"Apparently I'm possessed by Temperance … which sounds kind of ridiculous but I have heard, someone talking to me… like a guiding voice."

"Are you ok?" His neck cracks looking at her.

"Physically yeah … mentally … I guess - I'm still getting used to it but being in a constant state of confusion. It would explain all the … crystal stuff."

"Well if it helps I'm also confused!" 

She snickers sarcastically, "Yeah thanks." 

"Can you control the crystal stuff."

"I uh … actually I don't know." She holds out her arm.

"Maybe if I just think about it real ha-" It solidifies up to her elbow.

"Woah." 

"Try punching me!" Toby says.

"I'm not hitting you! And didn't you just get feeling back?"

"Yeah but I've never been punched and felt it! I wanna see what it's like!"

"I'm not doing it. Go find some poor soul to do it." She jokes.

"Ok!" and before she notices, he has jogged away.

"Toby? Toby! I was kidding!"

**BANG**

A murder of crows flies off from a field, not too far from her. She runs, barely noticing the crystal shards bursting from her feet, propelling her forward and over the grass so that she doesn't become entangled.

She slides through the mud when she reaches Toby, fallen in the field, a spot of red growing in his jacket. 

"Owwwweeeee~" 

"Oh my god oh my god hey stay with me!"

"I'm not - dying yet - asshole…" Toby squeezes out between breaths.

"Don't move around too much." She tears a part of the dress fabric - but it's gone immediately and reattached to the dress.

"What the fuck?!" She panics.

There's a man in suspenders running towards them with a rifle.

"I was gonna scare him so he'd punch me …"

"TOBY!'

"I didn't know - he had a gun…"

The man reaches them, out of breath.

"I thought he was a deer! Oh my god!"

"YOU JUST SHOT INTO THE GRASS!?" She screams.

"I was chasing this deer through these parts! Why the hell was he hiding in a field? Scared the shit outta me! What was I supposed to do!?"

"LITERALLY ANYTHING BUT SHOOT HIM."

She fusses at his jacket sleeve, trying to tear it but Toby is fighting her about it.

_Click_

She while around instantly - staring down the barrel of a rifle. The man wears a wicked staple-like smile when she realizes. Toby lets out a growl like a dog, trying to get up.

The man laughs at his struggle.

"It didn't have to be this way Locke, but you just had to go and help a defector."

"What the fuck are you talking about!?" But she sees their sleeve, a scar on their wrist, the same one Alex drew over and over. She doesn't give a damn about angels or Eldritch monsters or tapes or any other bullshit, she just knows she's going to kill this guy, some way or another. He has the rifle aimed, and she glares back defiantly.

**BANG**

She looks up. There is a hole through the man's head - stunned expression, it sticks with him as he's sent toppling under his own weight. Then a wound in his abdomen starts leaking through the shirt. 

"Hey it's -" Toby pat's at his own skin "-gone."

Sure enough, it's gone. No scars or blood, just a whole in the fabric.

"Let's … just go, I've had enough of this today. We'll figure it out later."

"Okay." Toby agrees.

She still helps him across the field, though he insists he's alright. The crows above circle the dead body of the man. She has an idling wonder if any of them are a certain host. But as they approach the water, there he is, waiting for them in the boat.

They settle in before he speaks in their heads.

"Ah I see you've completed the test Ms. Locke! How did it go?"

"What the fuck?! You didn't tell me there was - reality bending world shit down there!?"

"Did you not meet Albert and live to tell the tale?"

"Yes but I I ended up on some island with a fucking owl burning with my body in it!"

"A… burning owl, you say?" He falters, something they hadn't seen him do before.

"Yes, a big wooden structure shaped like a owl, on the island, and there were people with masks matching the fucking guests! What is that all about!?"

"... Those aren't your memories…"

"No … that's what someone there said to me too."

"... Peculiar … yes this is a bit … concerning. I'll be sure to alert Mr. Owl of this immediately."

They sit in uncomfortable silence there after.

"Even to this day, the lake continues to surprise me.

\---

The clock on the wall is dreadful. _Tic. Tic. Tic_. The two of them sat on old wooden chairs, told not to move and being watched by the bat …man. ' _Lol a literal batman.'_ It's like waiting outside the school office for the principal or something. Like she and Toby had been in a fight. Which wasn't _wrong_.

Mr. Crow finally reappears.

"Good news - Mr. Owl has dismissed any worries about your experience Ms. Locke, and has declared both of you in a fit enough state of mind to be discharged. You are free to go."

The words hit like lead in her belly. 

"What now? Do we get to go home?"

Toby flinches, staying silent.

"Wherever … home is …" Because her apartment never really was 'home' to her, just safety. And as far as she knew, she couldn't support another person, and Toby most certainly couldn't show his face in public. She couldn't abandon him and she couldn't take him with her-

"Yes." 

"What!?" 

"Is that a problem?" The crow eyes her.

"Yes! It's a huge problem! I - we can't just go back seeing what we've seen! We're not … we're not …" It wants to break past her lips but she isn't sure. The word - she knows for sure about Toby - but herself?

"We're not normal…" She shivers out. Toby looks at her, pitifully.

Mr. Crow blinks slowly, "Indeed, but all of this is not for nothing. You've done a superb job. I have great faith that you will find your way. You will find _your home._ The battle is just beginning." He rests a hand on both their shoulders, giving a firm squeeze, and walks between them.

"I do wish we may cross paths again, though hopefully, you will be much better off than how you arrived. **Do not let us down**." He walks to the elevator. 

"I will retrieve your personal belongings don't worry." He files in and goes up, leaving them alone again in the lobby.

Toby shuffles, then speaks: "You … you were normal before … me. If you hadn't-"

"Put a plug in that train of thought right now." She points her feet, turning to fully address him.

"Toby …" She sighed. "Maybe at some point in my life … in comparison to you … I was 'Normal' but - It wasn't anything to do with you. I don't know if I was always a bit strange and just … better at hiding it? Most people are. Or, if it was because of _the_ creature. Either way, there was no way of preventing this that I know of, nothing you or I could control. That's what makes _it_ a monster. I'd even bet it set things in motion several years before … something as evil like that … I wouldn't doubt it entirely. And there's so many others! God knows how long they were in it too… there's no way of telling how long the operator has had its claws in our lives, and so many others."

Toby doesn't respond. The orange goggles reflect the light, his expression unclear, but the rigid muscles spelled some of the problem.

"Toby … what's wrong?"

His head lowers, and his eyes are wide, shaking even in their sockets. Rage.

"Did I say something to upset you? Can you hear me? Toby?"

"How long … was _it_ in your life?" He mumbles in monotone.

"I'm … Not entirely sure, but sometime before I was 16 … I mean all the amnesiac stuff started in college. But even before then …" She imagines the ghost of the hanged man.

" _I'm going to kill him I-"_. The words sputter with shock and adrenaline.

"T-toby wa-" He caterwauls, shaking the room with such a painful, agonizing sound. It kills Jessica's heart to hear. 

"FUCK! FUCK! I'LL KILL HIM! HE PLAYED ME LIKE A FOOL!" His fist connected with the drywall, again and again, knuckles bleeding.

She wrangles him, pulling him back from the wall, but he is superbly strong, breaking free of every grip she gets.

"Stop! Calm down! Talk to me!"

"HE DID THIS! IT DID THIS!" He shrieks. "I'LL KILL IT!" His voice breaks with sobs. She finally recognizes what he's talking about.

"Don't! You'll just undue everything you've worked for - you shouldn't face him alone!"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I HAVE TO!" He turns around and lashes out with his words. "I'M SURE OF IT! HE KILLED MY SISTER! HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR - FOR - EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE OF HIM!"

She doesn't know what to say, and reaches a hand out.

"WHAT ELSE HAS HE DONE HUH!? WHAT IF I COULD'VE BEEN A NORMAL KID!? HOW DO I KNOW HE DIDN'T FUCK THAT UP TOO!?" 

"Toby! Toby listen to me! You can't think like that, you'll just bury yourself further in-"

Before her hand can reach his shoulder, it is dark. 

She sits in her Pj's.

On the floor…

Of her apartment.

Toby is nowhere to be found.

She is alone. 

Curling up slowly, her palm rises to cover her mouth, holding back the floodgates.

The mask falls at her knees.

  
  


**[End of Act 1]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so I always had this headcanon conspiracy theory idea of "what if Toby's life was all a set up to make him this way" so yeah.


	42. [Act 2: Flux] The Beginning of The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian reminisces.  
> Tim discovers something weird.  
> Jay finally meets his "guardian angel".
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Angel's are dicks.

**[Act 2 Flux]**

_I'm fine._ _Everything will be better._ These are the swirling words in Brian's head, every moment of every day. Pushing the doubts, the conflictions aside. 

_The nightmares coming, he whispers._ Not if he ignores it. He's been blessed with these moments back together with his family.

 _He can't win_. They both know that. They just want to spend their last days in happiness.

_Everything I ever wanted._

But he's seen this world of angels and reality-bending forces. 

He flicks the knife open and close on the windowsill.

_'I'm scared. As long as I don't die alone … I can do it. Please don't let my end be a sad one.'_

He thinks it's irony that landed him in this situation. Just some normal, semi-popular kid playing college football. He originally thought it was because he ran into Tim, but turns out it was all predestined from the beginning.

  
  


Yes … "predestined." To wake up in a dark, abandoned building's endless halls of fallen tiles and concrete. Dragging himself because his head was swelling from an unseen blow to the head, and the injury messed with his legs. This was how he was going to die, wasn't it … just some other missing kid in the newspaper. Found dead. They'd probably surmise it to a "drug deal gone wrong" depending on where they found him.

He refused, pulling and pushing harder than he ever has in his life, having to stop every 5 feet to breathe. But he refuses to die. It would be so easy to sleep. But had Tim gotten out? He doesn't know. And that's what keeps him biting his tongue to urge his forward drag. His clothes are totaled by dirt and scratches and sweat and other bodily fluids he isn't sure of, isn't sure how many nerves have been destroyed by the impact. Only knowing that he was still _thinking_. Still speaking in his head. Just that his physical body was having a rough time listening. He'd move the right arm and the only his left leg would shake.

But as he moves there's steps, doe light, and he cannot drag himself fast enough, so he stops and goes quiet, hoping he can hide in plain sight.

He yelps when a face like the moon breaks the night.

It's easy to recognize that it's Tim, even behind the mask. He knows his friend enough. He whimpers in untold fear. Was he in on this? He's picked up, jostling his head and god it hurts, it hurts. He coughs at the smell of smoke.

It's freezing cold now - wherever they are. But his head hurts _less_. This other Tim drops a hood in his lap.

" **Eadala."**

"W-what?"

He trills to him in some unknown language like a bird-squirrel hybrid. 

"I don't know what you want."

 **"Accept him."** His left arm moves on its own - no someone else is moving it. 

**"Two halves."** And that is all he ever explained to Brian in English - only carrying a conversation with the inhuman half as he sat back idly and watched it pilot his body like a meatsuit.

His name is "Alqamar." This other side of Tim. And one night Alqamar isn't there with him and he has to go find him - walking miles through the woods and random neighborhoods to Tim's house. He almost screamed for joy, he finally made it back to his town.

But as he approaches, he sees Tim is acting _normal_ again. The medication. It suppresses the only other partner he had in this situation. So he backs away from the doorbell, retreating into the woods. They hide him well. Tim opens the door, looking around, before shutting it with a huff. 

His "danger" alarms go off before he knows what's going to hit him, and he takes off like a deer into the thick. Crickets silencing as he crashes by. But a thicket of vines meets him and drags him into another world. A dark world of endless mangroves and murky green water. But there's food and shelter here. It's what matters most to him. But the more and more he jumps the two worlds, the less the hunger is.

And it's all very confusing but he's used to that. The one thing he does know.

He can never.

Go.

Home.

He could never go back again. Not like this. This goes beyond him and Tim and Alex and Marble Hornets.

The stakes are too high.

He cannot go home.

Life is a precious little thing. It runs out too quickly. He is alone and tired and the only friend he has is Eadala who is a huge asshole who makes videos in bare minimum English to antagonize Jay and Tim. And Brian lets him do it, not like he has much choice, Ead takes the reins most of the time. Always working, always planning.

And so he is here now. He has reached the ark and it's … a dump. He's had more questions answered in this one week then the several years he spent in the woods.

He knows what 'Jay's' planning. Alnassik. Why did he have to use Jay's body?

But when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter.

Alnassik, The Hermit, "Skully".

He will lose this fight.

But he doesn't have the heart to tell them that.

So he curls up next to Jay and Tim and enjoys the end of the world.

\---

Tim wakes up to a scratching noise from the corner or the room. It's early morning and just bright enough to see shadows in the room, and there is a rather big one in the corner, it scares him momentarily, but he finally recognizes it to be a huge pile of linens and blankets.

 _'Where did that come from_?'

He groans - he has to inspect it or he can't go back to bed, so he gets up.

" _HISSSSSS!"_

Comes from the pile.

"What the - Jay?"

Jay is curled in the middle, around … a large white object … like … like an egg.

"Jay, where did you get that?" 

"Ouzzsidee~" 

His eyes are gone and otherworldly, and then they're gone.

"Huh? Oh, good morning Tim… what the heck is this thing? It's … huge."

"You don't remember getting it?"

"Uh … no."

Tim sighs.

"It's an egg … what do you think is inside? He holds his ear up to it."

"I don't know, break it."

"NO." He snaps, eyes dilated again - and Brian stirs at the loud noise.

"I'm … going back to bed … do what you want." It's too early to deal with this - he thinks, plopping down next to Brian, asleep the moment his head hits the mattress.

\---

Jay wakes up, noticing the egg - but he wants to go for a walk … what to do…

"Hey Bri-" he calls to the man, who's messing with an old oil lamp. He nods in acknowledgement.

"Can you watch this egg while I'm gone? Make sure nothing hurts it?"

Brian gives him a thumbs up.

"Thank you - I'll be back soon."

It's another, cloudy, dark, windy day. _Lovely_. But Jay's ok with it - it fuels some deep aesthetic in him. A can goes tumbling down with the breeze and the shudders flap on the identical rows of buildings. 

He takes a seat by the fountain, reaching a hand in, fussing with the water. His reflection shimmers to reveal himself, but wearing the mask.

He falls back, hurting his tailbone on the cobblestone below.

 **"** _Hello Jay."_ The water ripples.

He stares incredulously.

"H-Hi? You're … your Alnassik, right?" He kneeled, leaning in the fountain side with his elbows.

" _Yes."_

"You're … really real."

" _Yes."_

"Sorry just - it's finally settling in."

" _You have nothing to apologize for."_

"So you're really … like an angel? In my head?"

" _That would be correct - though I'm not a human's typical visage of a holy being."_

"And Tim, and Brian - they are too right?"

" _Yes._ "

"Well uh … it's nice to meet you … thanks for your help, you know, back when we arrived here …"

" _Y_ _ou are my vessel, I should do my best to … take care of you."_ For some reason the being stumbles over the words.

"I don't know what … Tim thinks is so bad about you guys… you seem nice enough to me."

 _"Tim and Alqamar have conflicting ideas - and sadly - Alqamar is a stick in the mud, and has refused all, if any conversation with his host I'm afraid._ "

"Ah … Tim's also … a bit of a stick in the mud…" he rests his head on the fountain.

" _I suspect you have many questions?"_

"Yeah actually what is an angel and what do you look like and how do you work and why is everyone named after a tarot card and why is the sky blue and why is the operator after us and how many angels are there and how did you come to exist and what is this place and-"

" _Hmph, be calm be calm, I will provide you with some answers, but I need a favor - I need you to go visit the devil - they will give you better details than me."_

The apparition fades in the water, and he steps back.

"Why … why the devil?" He isn't sure if they will answer.

" _I was born here, in these lands - but the devil - the devil was made. They have much more experience beyond this realm, and they will understand all of your human perspectives. They will be able to answer your questions in a manner you can comprehend."_

"Oh …Ok uh …Which way do I…?"

_"Follow your intuition, It will guide your way."_

"Okkkkkaaayyyy…" Jay turns in a big circle, stops at one street, and decides this _feels_ right, and he goes about his merry way.

 _'Where off to see the devil, the wonderful devil of the ark.'_ He snorts at his own terrible humor.

He follows his heart, or his brain - wherever the hell intuition is supposed to be. No one is out today and he's glad for that - he can do without the judgemental and terrified stares.

Not a soul around.

...

Little did he know ... he was most certainly being watched…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo wonder who's peeping at Jay?


	43. Making Friends and Making Deals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay meets someone who does not run from him, and goes to ask the devil some questions.  
> Alnassik makes a deal.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> How to make friends when you're weird and bring stalked by Eldritch brings.  
> Step 1: Find other weirdos and share your trauma!  
> Step 2: Congratulations you're friends whether you want to be or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have fucking waited forever to publish this bish - I had a "traumatic" 48 hours and had to rest after that, but I'm back baby!

A dark shadow of a certain _former_ collective member moves from its skulking corner to the window blind, peaking through.

"Oh Jesus FUCK the Hermits coming this way!" Black clouds of tentacles swirl it's form, 4 white eyes the only solid part to be seen - squinting in distaste.

"He doesn't look that bad…" The shadow jumps - if shadows could jump.

"GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOW KEVIN!" The observer seizes his hand.

"You're being paranoid-"

"THAT IS MY EXISTENCE - TO INSTILL PARANOIA AND BE PARANOID!" He gestured wildly. '' _Kevin's an idiot!'_

"I'm sure they're fine - I mean the firefighters seemed chill with it. Didn't kill anyone … this time…"

"Oh - the Firefighter's, puhhh-LEASE!" He threw his many appendages up, pacing in the corner. "They have about one brain cell between all of them - and the devil certainly doesn't share **any** of it. Who let's such infantile halfwits have that much power!?"

"Wow I don't know, how about the Nazis? Like you're old co-workers?" 

"Oh fuck the Nazis!" He smacks his cloudy head on the wall, and Kevin rolls his eyes.

"You were certainly a lot more scared of the Nazi's then the devil …"

"WAS NOT! THAT'S BULLSHIT!"

"Nevermindddddd - what makes you so scared of - him?" Kevin points out the window. "Didn't you say the Hermit was … 'low on the food chain'?"

"Yes yes - not until he ate HABIT's heart."

"Wait! What!?" Kevin looks again at the wiry, Innocent looking man walking down the cobbles. "You're saying _that guy_ is part death rabbit?!"

"Alnassik may not have been that powerful but he was one of the smarter ones of the lot - he knew how to get strong on his own volition… Did you know he - no … it's not important…" The Observer waves it off, but Kevin pushes.

"What? What did he do?"

"A massacre… only a select few survived - _under his terms_."

"Oh … should we go see Noah and Firebrand then?"

"NO!" He screeches, shaking the banisters.

"Come on you're still salty you lost that game of chess?"

"YES. VERY SALTY."

"Look - just because you had a fight with Mr. Goldensun doesn't mean I can't see Noah."

"Oh yes - you do a lot of _'seeing'_ over there I'm sure of it."

"DHWHDHFJRJ SHUT UP!" Kevin stutters, heat rising in his face, "I'll - I'll kick your ass, dickhead!" But the Observer disappears into the vents, laughing and cooing madly.

\---

Someone is _following_ him. Jay hears the steps - and finally musters the courage to turn around.

A darker skinned man approaches closely behind, eyes hidden by a reflection in his glasses, black hair parted to one side, shaved on the other. He tilts his head up and the light goes away revealing - friendly eyes.

"Hi! You're new around here right?"

"O-oh." Jay's taken aback. "Yeah I'm … new."

The man doesn't hesitate walking up to him, offering a firm handshake, practically flopping Jay's arm around like a dead fish because Jay forgot about social interaction years ago.

"Nice to meet you, the name's Kevin."

"Oh uh … Jay … I'm Jay … yes. Jay." Kevin laughs.

"You're like … the first person not to run away immediately seeing me."

"Really dude? That sucks … though I wouldn't take it too personally, everyone around here's kinda iffy around new people. Because ending up here means you've seen some shit."

"Yeah … definitely seen my ... fair share." Jay's eyes shift a bit to avoid the radiant and beaming smile the man wears.

"I won't pry if you don't want me to, but which monster did you get?" 

"Uh ... the operator, it was this tall faceless white thing -"

Kevin doesn't flinch "... Interesting name …We called him the Administrator."

"You've - seen it too!?"

"Pff, yeah - done _a lot_ more than see." He laughs with a twinge of sadness in his eyes.

"This is … this is a lot farther spread than I thought … I thought we were the only ones..." Jay thinks out loud.

"It sure as hell feels like that, but I promise you you're not alone - if there's one thing anyone can agree on around here is how much of a bitch the Tower is."

Jay sways on his feet, looking up and down between the cracks in the concrete and Kevin's patient face.

"Did … did it control people you knew?" His face drops, and Jay fears he's gone too far, but his smile returns moments later.

"Actually … I was the one being controlled, by one of his previous uh - servants. Another angel like him. Still weird calling them 'angels.'"

"Oh … I'm sorry …" But his thoughts are reeling, because now he wonders … _could he have saved Alex?_

"No it's no big deal, it's been dealt with - actually assholes my roommate now. Fucked up right?"

"I'm not here to judge - but he's just … separate from you?"

"Yeah, I mean he used to … possess me but we were separated here, by The Devil."

"Oh …" Jay thinks of Alnassik, _'Why are we still sharing a body then?'_ Never mind that. Think about it later. _(Think about it never.)_

"The Devil … what is … he? … she? They? - like?"

Kevin snorts, "It depends on who's in the room - should be a "he" when you go to see them."

Jay has no clue what he means. Eh, whatever.

"As for what they're like … I mean the best I've observed is the devil is kinda like … a mixture of your best friend and your worst enemy?"

' _Oh so Alex basically.'_ Jay snickers to himself, "How so?"

"Well my roommate - thinks they're a, and I quote 'Precocious Non-euclidian Maverick' better put as a 'smart ass who breaks the rules of physics'…. Honestly they're just kind of a dumbass redneck - I think he's looking way too into it." Kevin shrugs, "Meanwhile my - friends … my uh-" He hesitates, searching Jay's face for a moment - who just blinks dumbly. "My - _boyfriend's_ \- roommate - he says they're the 'Whore of Babylon.'" Jay's mind totally skips over the nervously spoken word. "They argue about it every time they meet - 'They have blue eyes! No they have brown eyes! No you clearly can't see colors four-eyes! Fuck you hundred-eyes!' - On and on and on."

"Sounds like a majority of the college roommates I've had." Jay mumbles.

Kevin lets out a loud "HA!" - "True, True - but one constantly sets everything on fire - actually that's still not that far off of a college roommate."

"Pff ha-ha!" They wholeheartedly laugh together and it feels nice, genuine, maybe there is hope of acceptance?

"Anyway, I gotta get some stuff done, but it was nice meeting you!"

"Yeah, thanks for the info."

"No problem."

Jay wanders around where him and the others had seen the devil first - nothing but rubble and tumbleweeds blowing by, though there was a "pink lemonade" stand barren next to the fountain. It peaks his curiosity and he looks at the strange abandoned table.

"I wouldn't drink that, pretty sure it's laundry water."

The voice startles him and he swivels around to see the man named Vinny dipping a bucket of water in the fountain again.

"Oh … thanks." He feels eyes on him as he leaves the center, but at least the guy isn't running away.

Not too far down, he sees a wood sign, creaking on it's metak hinges.

"Shittfest Vol. Fire Comp."

"...huh … weird name…" 

He barely touches the door knob when it flies open and is dragged inside.

"#4" towers over him.

"Uh h-hi-"

They shoved a harness over Jay's shoulders with an oxygen tank on the back - nearly falling over - then started slapping a rubber contraption to his face. The air was sucked out of his lungs momentarily- scaring the shit out of him, but then the oxygen turned on and he could breathe. The man pulled him in, shutting the front door, and pointed up the stairs to a room on the right.

_'Well that was fast … guess you don't have to make an appointment then …"_

"... Thanks…" and he ascend# the thin and creaking stairs. The building was horrible old and he had claustrophobia in this hallway. A fighter in full uniform passes him - both having to awkwardly maneuver to get around one another.

Before he can knock at a crooked for frame, a groan sounds from within.

"Ughhhhh come in…" 

He entered the darkened room. It's cluttered - but quaint - old red wallpaper lining the walls with golden swatches of patterns, reflecting the light that squeezes through the wooden blinds. A masked woman sits in a recliner, reading to themselves, messing with a bag of tea. _He prays it's_ _tea._ Jay recognises the mask to be the same kind painted on "10's" respirator.

He looks over to a person laying flat on the bed, and he thinks that it can't _possibly_ be the same person from earlier - but the frail mass gives off a strange vibe - so apparently it was. They still cover their face like the other, except for the eyes. From what he can see they're extremely thin and bony, pale - almost sickly so, and he wonders how they even move in a suit…

Jay takes a breath through the respirator a few times, waiting for some acknowledgement. 

"What are you waiting for? I'm not getting any younger!"

He scrambles his way in.

"Umm … why do I have to wear the air tank?"

"This room's full of Nitrogen, you'll be unconscious in under a minute."

"Oh … and you're … not?"

"We breathe Nitrogen bitch."

"O-oh."

"You wanted to ask me something? Have a seat."

"Y-yeah several things but … I actually don't know where to start."

"Well make it quick cus I'm gonna be clocked out in about ten minutes here regardless."

Jay situated himself in the chair as much as possible with the bulky thing on his back.

"I guess … what … are these "angels" supposed to be?"

They answer immediately - "Crackheads mostly … well. Some are a physical being, some are an emotion or object… and some are both … tell you the truth, I don't know much about it myself…"

 _'Is this a test?'_ Jay thinks.

"Alnassik said you were a liar."

" _Ha-ha-ha-_ Damn right. You gotta figure out which part is true - don't you…"

They sigh from the laughter.

"See I'm not that smart, ol' thinkers broken." They hit their skull harshly "But the best advice I could give you though - don't tell people _shit_. But also - tell people shit."

"What?"

"Don't open your mouth but open your mouth."

"... What?"

"Don't speak because everyone will judge you no matter fucking what you do but also speak because silence is dangerous."

"That sounds highly counter-productive…"

"SEE! That's what they all say, but when it comes down to it …You're alllll just the same." They make finger guns and wiggle around. "All flittering and fussing in your own little groupssss. Once something comes along to topple to mound, fu~ better watch out. You better not cry." They were up on a dresser lifting their feet. "You better not pout I'm telling you why-" Then they're in the doorway.

"Santa Claus is coming, to to-OWW!" They're swung down with one arm back on to the bed by the woman in the chair. 

"I'm fine! I'm fine! I was just playing around!"

She shushes them with a hand.

Jay tries to hide a slipping smile, "You're gonna get the song stuck in my head."

"Aw see!? There's that smile! It's always better to smile! They're free you know? A gift you can give for free!"

"Now that sounds like some better advice."

"Aww, shucks … anyways … you wanted to know about angels, right."

They settle under their comforter with a happy trill, and tap their cloaked chin.

"Most of them were born here… I was _created_ . I used to be _human_. In your world … I was born in the late 1980's … but time doesn't tick anymore … I've been here over a couple thousand years now…." 

"But you're from the 80's."

"Yyyyep."

Jay coughs into his fist, "Ha … that's … actually kinda neat … I wanna know how that works." 

"Trust me you don't. It gets worse the more you think about it."

"Can I … can I ask something kinda personal?"

"Shoot."

"Everyone here - the angels - have some kind of connection to the major arcana, right?"

"... Yessss."

"And … the hermit said some were born that way but you said some … were made? And you said you were human before so-"

"Your point?"

"Uh well - I guess - why are you the devil and why are the others … who they are?" 

They're preoccupied sliding a teacup across the nightstand.

"Hmmm that's … an interesting question. Never heard that one before…."

They blew on the hot liquid.

"You would have to ask everyone individually how they got their name sake. As for me-"

They sip at the tea with an overly obnoxious sound.

"I am the devil, because I was the _first to fall_." The woman in the chair didn't look up from her book, but gently lays a palm over their small, veiny hand.

".... From like …Heaven? Like Lucifer?"

"PFFT-" they sprayed the tea everywhere.

"Hahahaha! No no, not like Lucifer. Live long enough and you'll probably figure out what the fuck I'm talking about."

"You can't just tell me?" Jay snorts.

"That ruins the fun doesn't it!" They set the cup back onto the night stand, laying back.

"I need to sleep now, please shut the door on the way out."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, you'll regret it."

"Ok ... no thanks then?"

"That's better."

Jay quietly stands and makes his way for the door - but his hand stops on the knob.

The clock audibly ticks.

The dust floats. 

The air is still.

**"Diavolo."**

The devil slides the cloth from their face, teeth curled In a smile.

"I was wondering when you were finally going to talk to me, Hermit. That why you sent Jay here? What has it been - A thousand years?"

Alnassik turns, and the devil's true look shows to him, and only him - because he knows _the truth._

" **Do you still make deals, or are you too old for that?"**

"A deal with the devil now? Didn't your parents not teach you how bad that can go?"

 **"I am** **_serious."_ **

The masked woman looks up from her book, giving the angel a challenging gaze as the devil speaks.

"Depends what you're asking..."

**"I want you to keep our history a secret. From everyone. Any information you have on me - it is kept silent behind your lying mouth. I want my plans to go unimpeded."**

The devil giggles.

"You're a sick sunovabitch aren't you? Gonna lie to your own partners huh? To your humans? You know they care about you, they're just trying to help-"

Alnassik straightens to full height - " **You know well enough what it will cost you if you fight the Tower yourself."**

Their devilish smile drops, and they stare over at the woman in the chair.

 **"** ** _You wouldn't risk pulling your power back from your family, would you? Surely you know what will happen."_ **He growls.

Their expression is dark. They peel a glove from their right hand, revealing a wedding ring, and slowly wraps small, weak fingers around the woman's hand, who squeezes in return. Their face goes plain, " _Fine_. What are you offering in return then?"

**"I will defeat the Tower by myself. He won't even touch the ark. Everything will be taken care of."**

The Devil holds out their left arm.

"Then we have …. a deal."

He grips their hand and with a static spark, the deal is made.

**"Have a goodnight."**

"Get out of my house."

.

.

.

Jay snaps back to reality, hand on the doorknob. What was he thinking about? Eh, whatever. He opens the creaking wood and makes his way down the wooden stairs, removing the oxygen once he was outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE KEVIN I WANT HIM AND NOAH TO BE HAPPY DAMMIT 😭😭😭  
> Observer is salty - his card (surprisingly) is Judgement.  
> I'd say y'all can pretty much guess which card "Mr.Goldensun" is.
> 
> The Devil's a dumbass - did I say that already?  
> "10" is a reference to a real FF (line up my beautiful bis, pans, lesbians, and everything in between - she's single 😉)
> 
> Also, want some Pink Lemonade? 😏


	44. Cannibal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alnassik reveals part of the reason why he intervened with the human project called "Marble Hornets."
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Angel politics basically

**Flashback**

**(Alnassik)**

  
  


_He would never tell the garish story of what he had done. They didn't ask him - they knew better._

_He'd committed a terrible sin._

_He had contracted a magic beyond his own volition as the hermit. The Magician. A laughing maniacal creature shrouded in a purple haze. But - he offered his power, his heart, in exchange - to escape the emotional agony that impaired his soul. An agony instilled by The Devil as punishment for his crimes._

_And why did he do this? Rage and a need._

_Kill one of your own blood. To save the ones you love. But the other was always rage. A predestined flaw in the calcification of his skull._

_He's not as strong as the Moon's tidal pull._

_Not as fast as the swift blade of blind justice._

_Not as terrifying and consuming as The Sun._

_Not as skilled as the great vines of wrath encompassing The Empress and Emperor._

_Not as powerful as The Magician and Temperance._

_Not as old as The Tower._

_Not as good at hiding like Death._

_And not as Truthful as The Devil._

_He had no holy weapon but his bone and teeth._

_But he was smart._

_Terrifyingly smart._

_As long as the others underestimated him. Yes._

_After he and The Magician made their deal, The devil was the next on his list. With the combined power of him and The Magician, he could likely best The Devil, and take their power for his own. He expected a formidable, terrifying thing, writhing with thousands of eyes and horns and gnashing teeth- but rather received an impish creature. He thought it was a joke. This couldn't possibly be the devil! But_

_he'd asked way too many questions, and they smiled - as they shared with him an awful_ **_truth._ **

_Something so damningly powerful and world-ending, knowledge possessed by a human, nonetheless. The devil was human. A human with eyes of fire and truth and the mouth of a liar and ash._

_He may not have their power - he doesn't even attempt a fight. They had shot him down 13 miles from the city._

_Noah's infamous Ark, now a wasteland conscribed by the human version of Satan himself._

_But he wins The Devil's favor rather easily._

_And with that ally, he had a home. Free roam of the ark. A gateway more than anything. He could protect whatever he needed to, as long as it was here, it would be safe._

_He had power, and a home base._

_It was time._

_The day finally came. He descended upon his birthplace. Once he knew the_ **_truth_** _. Because he would not fall like the humans had - he wouldn't let the flood waters continue._

_Yes. They definitely underestimated him. And he falls, blocking the sky with an army of stone that blotted out even the tiny pin-pricks of stars._

_Darkness._

_And he didn't regret it._

_Not when he cut and sliced and slaughtered his own kind with seething steel and a pearly whites skull._

_Not when he stared into the eyes of many he called his 'elders'._

_Not when the ocean turned gold with their blood and The Magician cackled within his own bones._

_He was more flesh and human than ever before. It wasn't enough. He still could not taste the fruits of his labor, couldn't smell it._

_He destroyed one by one, until a few remained - The few he could persuade the night before to join him._

_These were his partners now. But two of them manage to wiggle their way into his heart, which he thought was secure behind his ribcage. He was in love, something he believed to be lost to the bloody waters._

_They never asked either. But Alqamar knew what happened. He came to him night's later and said "You bested me, right under my nose." And The Moon offered The Hermit a gift - A gift which frightened him so much he staggered back, before shoving it back into the other's chest and said "this is enough."Holding his face of white pearl and black feather. "This is enough."_

_Because Alnnasik couldn't kill him._

_"THIS IS ENOUGH."_

_He meant many different things._

_And so Alqamar was his. The moonlight he sat under each night, staring up to - now was down on the ground, next to him. He always thought the moon was beautiful._

_His singing is lovely too. When he wants too - a rare occasion. (He hasn't heard him sing for several years.)_

_And then one day Justice itself slipped onto his doorstep. To say he expected someone different was - an understatement. He'd avoided The Hermit's wrathful attack, and showed their face - a mess of black static and twig thin arms, barely coming to the height of Alnnasik's shoulder._

_But he also knew not to underestimate Justice. He was always the quickest. Action before thought._

**_Eadala_ ** _was not there to punish him - rather, to tell him that he had enacted justice on the foul angels of olde. That he wanted to help him, in his next step._

_He didn't have a "next step" planned. Not until Harut, The Tower, made himself well known. Alnnasik had killed a thousand ancient beings - but The Tower? They'd killed millions._

_And they would not stop there._

_And he looked at The Moon, and at Justice, and the other remaining angels. And then - the humans. And because of what The Devil had told him, the_ **_truth_** _, he couldn't let the humans suffer._

_Because beneath their fleshy pink and brown tones, lies bones, like his own skin, with a surprising amount of Intelligence for their size._

_He would kill the Tower._

_Whatever it takes._


	45. Ghosts of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim meets someone
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Tim looks for clues Scooby-Doo style.

Maybe it's the incredibly boring atmosphere or the way that Jay has sat all week staring at the unmoving egg for half the day - but Tim's starting to get irritable. They need to _do_ something, make some sort of progress, but right now there is nothing. He knows their next clue is probably the egg, but Jay bites at Tim anytime he tries to examine it, and Brian sides with Jay just to piss off Tim. It's a lot like the Jay Tim knew after their night-time run in with the Operator- he doesn't need that feeling of helplessness back.

"Jay can you stop staring at that you're freaking me out."

"..."

"Jay. BLINK."

A blank face looks up and blinks slowly at Tim with zoned out eyes - and then curls up the jacket he's wearing, pushing the egg inside and clutching it to his front.

"What are you doing?" He sighs.

"Keeping it safe… and warm… so it can hatch into a beautiful bird."

"I've never seen a bird's egg that big, not even an ostrich - are you sure it's not a reptile of some sort? Honestly, even a dinosaur I would believe at this point."

"No, it's gonna … it's a big beautiful bird … big and beautiful … gonna … gonna flap all over.'

He sounds drunk.

"Jay, seriously we need to - I don't know what we need to do but it needs to be something, that thing is still out there and it's going to come for us."

"Oh _fuck off_ , I'll handle it - you don't have to do anything."

The tone in his voice is … not unlike the kind he possessed when trying to stab Tim. 

He backs up to the wall with a steadying breath.

Maybe… maybe that isn't even Jay at all … like The Devil said …But worse. What if Jay was … gone. Some actor playing around in his body. Maybe the same with Brian too. Maybe this was hell and he had died and the operator was toying with him - come on, the literal devil was here - it wouldn't be that farfetched.

No. This was still Jay and Brian … just a bit sick. Yeah - they're sick right now - but it will get better once he figures out how to kick the operator out of their life for good. ( _He doesn't realize he says 'life' in the singular form.)_

He needs a smoke break - minus the smoke - which means going out and trying to breathe in the warm mist for some semblance of anxiety soothing air in his lungs. Before "the egg incident" Jay would come out with him - and that was honestly much better company than any cigarette - now, Tim stands alone. Sometimes Brian comes for him though, giving him some kind of wacky pose and a peck on the cheek, making his heart do goofy things.

Because he has another big issue besides the operator.

A major dilemma.

He … really likes … both of them.

He's never contemplated a healthy relationship with more than two people in it … besides that - there's no way in hell Tim can even keep one person around long enough with his skeletons in the closet. Brian … Brian makes it look too easy - he's affectionate as ever and Jay practically melts every time he's smothered with it, and it does strange things to him. Not a jealousy kind - Brian gives them both plenty of attention - but a yearning. He really … _really_ wants to touch Jay like that. _And why can't he!?_ He has every chance in the world and blows it because he's not even sure if Jay would like that from Tim. He gets along well with Brian but … maybe that's why he's being nice to Tim. That the two of them … were just friends.

Long ago Tim would've scoffed at thinking he could ever be friends with Merrick after all that happened. Now? It hurts so bad. He doesn't want that … he wants to hug and hold and kiss him so he has the same giddy reactions Brian gets. He wants to lay with them both on a summer afternoon, so warm and peaceful he isn't sure who is who but it doesn't matter because they're all there.

Everyone has dreams like that … really how many actually achieve them … right now Jay is making that possibility increasingly difficult. 

The bathroom is certainly a relic of some forgotten time. The toilet is probably one of the first models ever invented - drawstring hanging from a wooden box above it - and god he doesn't _not_ want to think about how the plumbing works in this place. The electric does - sometimes … there's no lights - but there's not much of need for them … it's always day wherever the fuck they are. The sun sets, sure, but rises a few minutes later - it's either cloudy or rainy and cloudy or misty and cloudy Least it's not frigid, or too hot. He thinks though it probably reflects everyone's mood here. Dark, gloomy, and dull.

He shaves his face carefully with an old single blade razor, using the cracked mirror for a guide. He wonders how it's not rusted away even with all the water damage here. Water. Water. Water. There was so much damn water. It was always damp, foggy, raining, the bricks and planks grown over with mold and should've collapsed decades ago, and of course - an endless ocean. He wonders if maybe he will turn into water and slip through the floorboards.

The building is alive - in it's noises at least. Wind and shudders, wood and stone creaking as it settles, the clanging of some object in a cluttered room untouched for centuries. He finishes shaving, splashing water on his face.

He looks up - His mask reflects in the broken mirror -

"GAH!" He staggers back, bumping his head on the back wall. 

"Everything alright in there?" Wow, he's surprised Jay noticed.

"Yeah just … usual shit."

He's tired - but doesn't want to sleep anymore. He needs to move so he doesn't have to think. Maybe get into a fight … deep down he doesn't want to do that, but right now he's so lousy and bored.

Fuck it.

"Jay, I'm going out…"

"Ok…"

He's going to do the impossible - he's going to go make some goddamn friends, even if it kills him. Surely someone around here had a lead, a suggestion for Tim's next step.

He marches down the street with his empty pill container … he'd run out days ago - nothing was happening … yet. Still, clutching the little plastic thing gave him some relief - filling it with small pebbles and shaking it like a maraca. Ha.

He strides hastily - though with no destination in sight - it's like his first days of college, walking around on campus begrudgingly because he really _didn't_ want to go there but it was the only way his foster family was going to support him - send him away and pray to god normal life fixes him.

Perhaps it's both a nuisance and a blessing the city is just a bunch of cookie cutter apartment buildings on a swirled plane - the only thing that looked different were the small fountains at some of the intersections. This one he passes has a fish spitting water from its mouth. He actually finds himself wondering just how big the place is - might as well go exploring, maybe there was a bad side of town, who the hell knows? Or maybe something comparable to the Midwestern sidewalks and weeds he remembers much earlier in his childhood. 

He shoves his hands into his jeans, hair falling in his face.

Now. How to make friends.

Well he's screwed in that department.

Everyone is hiding from him. He can't just barge in … (can he?)

Maybe if he walks along he'll find someone.

This is boring.

Instead of taking the streets - he settles for moving through the labyrinth of the dark alleyways, shadow dancing on the walls, long and lonely.

They lead out to nearly identical buildings and he's going to go insane. 

Stone after Stone after Stone!

- _look up_

He's been at it long enough to know when someone is watching him, and side-glances up to the unending lines of shudders. Sure enough - one window reveals a sillohoutte. It's too dark to make out their features, but they're tall, curly hair against the backdrop of a light somewhere inside the building. Tim knows enough that it's rude to stare - but this guy doesn't let up - so he won't either - he has a one-sided staring contest until the person backs away slowly into the depths of the building.

_'Weirdo.'_

This street looks … _worse_ than the others. There are fissures in the earth, dark cascades leading to ancient temples beneath the city. It's probably not unlike Seattle - a city built on top of another city. He doesn't have much of an interest in uncovering its secrets though - the giant fossil was enough.

But the street still calls to him because it screams "dangerous bullshit", just like Rosswood - which means something waits for him down the avenue. Waiting for him to come find it. So … he goes. It's not like there's anything better to do.

He treads lightly - not sure of what could possibly cave in - taking it as a sign that his mental health might just be improving because in the past, he had no care if a place was unsafe. It didn't matter what happened to him.

There is evidence of a collapse ahead - so he investigates. It looks like someone … pushed the apartment complexes it into the ground, rather than a natural crumble.

There lies in the center, the massive broken remains of an out-of-place silver bauble structure, decorated with hundreds of weird sculptures - each one different then the last. Some were missing their heads, arms, legs, whole torsos. what little light shines off the thing, hitting his eyes in patterns. There is a large glass window, some panels shattered and grown over. But before he can even think about walking into the dark, tetanus filled area, he studies over a particular statue. It's of a little girl, sitting quietly, long flowing hair, and eyes … dead - almost holy like a gothic angel. In her lap is … 

An _egg_.

The same size and shape as _Jay's_ egg.

_'What?'_

He feels a creeping dread in his veins and takes in the other faces of the statues - they _all_ look dead, staring leagues away. They all look numb. They all look - _realistic_. Every detail on the girl's face is perfect. Every strand of hair. There isn't even any carving or welding marks.

It dawns on him … that he's staring, not at statues.

But people.

_'Oh god.'_

This shouldn't exist. The nervousness curls in his bones, as stone men march around it in synchronizing patterns like guardsmen. _Jay_. The stone men were always connected to him … so why were they here?

 _'Don't tell me-'_ He coughs - and it's a bad one.

 _"Go back."_ The voice screams in his temples.

"Fine fine! Just stop it! I'm going back!" He stumbles around, running from the area.

But the 'angel' listens to him for a change. The blackout doesn't come. He flexes his fingers - he's in control.

" _Fool."_

"Sh-shut up! What the hell do you know!?" He yells it so it bounces back off the cobble to him. The voice doesn't answer.

"What was that!?" 

No answer.

His teeth grind - he's so damn angry at this thing in _his_ \- body! He pulls at his hair until he's kneeling in the street.

_"Fool."_

"SHUT UP!" 

He doesn't trust them - that's a given. He doesn't trust this city, or these angels, or whatever in the living _hell_ is possessing Jay and he knows they're up to something. They're planning something behind his back and he will feel the pain of his mistakes _again_. He writhes.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

\---

His boyfriend shares a concern regarding a man he saw out the window, a man and an angel apparently, who'd both gone down the old, abandoned district of the city's pathways and aqueducts.

Kevin goes to investigate to quell his paranoia, taking the Observer along - much to his chagrin. The angel refuses to walk in the road normally and sticks to the shadows of the buildings and lampposts and alleyways, constantly arguing with Kevin over meaningless drama.

It's not until they come around a curve when Kevin catches a glimpse of a man crouching in the road - that the Observer jumps out and drags him into an alley.

"What!?"

"No way - I see that stupid human expression on you - you are _not_ going up to him - that's another goddamn angel and I'm not getting in a fight today with that punk ass Moon and his little human meatshield."

"Sounds like you're making a lot of assumptions there …"

"Listen to me, we were lucky enough to make it out alive AS IS. This town has strange folk wandering in all of the time - there's no telling what kind of angel will be here _next_ . Right now - I think we're only a necessity. The last thing I'm going to do is piss the Hermit off into deciding we're _disposable_ because we talked to his " _lovebird"_ the wrong way."

"I'm not going to talk to the angel, just the guy - relax a little."

"FOR FUCKS SAKE KEVIN! You know what Firebrand will do to me if you upset Noah huh? Get. In. THE BUILDING!"

He drags his arm inside - but when he turns, he's been duped. What he's really dragging is a metal pipe and Kevin's running out into the street.

"Kevin? KEVIN! YOU FOOL! GET BACK IN HERE THIS INSTANT!"

He doesn't come closer than ten feet.

The man has white knuckles clenched to his scalp and brow in a permanent furrow.

"Hey dude? You doin' alright?" The voice seems to stir the guy from his trance who unfolds the hands from himself slowly, dark eyes peering up at him through black hair. They search him over - this is someone new. Someone Tim hasn't met before - but they don't radiate violence.

"Can you see me? You speak English right? Anglais?"

Tim nods yes.

"Ok, that's good, that's good… can you stand?" He reaches a hand down, and with a moment's hesitation, he takes it, the other man helping him to his feet. They both come to about the same height.

"Hi, I'm Kevin, what's your name?" 

"Oh … uh Tim."

"Nice to meet you Tim!"

"Uh … thanks."

_'Is this how normal people make friends?'_

"You're - it doesn't seem like that many people want to uh meet us."

"That's typical around here, nothing personal I bet. People are still working out their mystery problems here and don't want to get caught in another."

"Hmph ... yeah that's just about what got me here, long enough down the line." He says in his sarcastic tone.

"Well, my - _pal -_ over there said you're the moon or something?"

"A what? Oh …That … yeah I'm still not that used to it." He rubs the back of his head.

"Well if it was anything like mine - actually I don't want to be a Debby Downer."

"Oh… Yours? Which … I mean if I can ask that…"

Kevin snorts. "Judgement. But he's standing over there." A thumb points over his shoulder and there is a series of profanities as a shadow slinks away from a lamp pole.

"Wait … you mean he's … not in your head?"

"Well he used to be … 99% of the time he was in control … but once we got here, it kind of outlived its purpose. Besides, the ones that run this city kind of forced us to separate. Which I'm not upset by. At all. Like - huge ass relief dude."

"The Devil…"

"Yep … don't know who let that happen-" Kevin cracks up.

"I'll walk you back - this streets hella haunted and shit, makes you see weird things."

"I gathered that…"

"I think the second worst punishment they give around here is having to walk to the end and back."

"Punishment? What kind of crimes are people committing?"

"Nothing really - It's mostly if you start drama … or get opinionated - they really don't like that." Kevin laughs. "The eighth amendment doesn't seem to apply around here…"

"Hmm…" Tim is ok with allowing Kevin to talk, his voice is friendly, soothing, open-minded. It gives him a sense of contentment. This would probably be a good person to ask.

"Hey, you wouldn't by chance … have any idea how to maybe _fight_ the uh - that thing. I'm stuck in a rut - I don't know like … which step to take. I mean in the past I would've just gone home. Now… he blinks and sees the burning remains of his house.

"Honestly, and I know this is the boring answer but … wait it out. It won't be too long now…"

"For … for what?"

"He'll find a way to cross the barrier with some human puppet - and then he'll destroy us all."

Kevin frowns.

"Not like we're going down easy though, right?" He gives a sad smile.

Tim chews at his knuckles.

"Hey don't worry about it man, enjoy life day by, you know."

He needs to think. To breathe. And most of all _too plan._

"I'll … Kevin, right - I'll figure something out … I know I was brought here for a reason … something big is going to happen - I just gotta find it first." He rushes away - then stops.

"Oh, sorry." he returns with a handshake "Thanks for helping me out there."

Despite the newcomers seeming naïvety, Kevin is a wishful thinker. Maybe they can win. Yeah. That would be nice. He could live here with Noah, forevermore - without the threat of the administrator. He would be free.

It's a pleasant dream. But really, _how many actually achieve them?_

\---

The blurry-eyed man sits in an armchair, glasses off and leaning back against the headrest.

The front door opens, and Noah knows instantly it is Kevin by the sound.

"Everything go alright?"

"Yeah, helped the guy back down the street."

"So … how _are_ the new guys?"

"I met both of em, they seem nice, just a bit shy at first."

"Mmm." They sit in each other's silence for a minute. Kevin sits on the arm next to Noah.

"I think … these guys are going to finally get rid of the keeper."

"From what, the ark?"

"No like … gone gone."

Noah tenses, nails digging into the velvet chair.. " _Impossible."_ Kevin rubs him soothingly, circles in his back as his pounding heart receded.

"Shh … it's alright." Noah sat back in his seat.

"Sorry…"

"It's alright … but really, I mean it. I've got a feeling."

Noah kicks his leg for a moment.

"I hope you're right…" Kevin rubs a hand through his hair as he falls asleep, needing time for a suitable nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm literally half asleep right now so sorry if I missed any mistakes


	46. Memories of The Escape (1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah recalls their journey here
> 
> Alternative summary:  
> FIRE SAFETY RULE #69 KEEP WORKPLACE CLEAR OF ANY AND ALL DUST THAT SHIT FLAMMABLE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next it gonna be a small little flashback of how Noah, Kevin, Firebrand, and the Observer actually showed up at the ark. It's based off a little mini side series called The Escape - you don't have to read it for plot or anything, it's just their separate journey and most of it's rated R cus I can do what I want idc. I love these babies i want them to be happpppyyyy.
> 
> Also head canon, unlike (Spoiler Warning for tribetwelve) how Noah becomes Firebrand, in this they're two separate beings, Firebrand just temporarily posseses Noah, just as the Observer possess Kevin and like all the other angel idjits here on the island.

**Flashback**

**(Noah)**

_They're both a bit miserable._

_Because they're hopping trains like boxcar kids. And it's a little fun, if it weren't for the near collisions with the railroad police on multiple occasions; the metal containers are always padlocked and Noah's getting real damn tired of giving his body over to Firebrand just to melt them off; it's either too fricken hot or frigid, and it's not like the movies - you can't see shit inside the box except for faint, rusted holes as they sit amongst pallets of various supplies. And it's even more so because he knows that they could drive a car or literally ANYTHING else but the observer won't allow it, says this is the fastest way to travel with the least amount of tracking - At least he can shut down and mess with security cameras. That trick's pretty nifty. Especially once Noah's ran out of cash and they can't "use anything that will leave a sign" so they've had to steal all their crappy food so far - either that or dumpster diving._

_But they haven't seen the administrator, or the collective members. And Kevin's pretty happy about that. Hell they're both happy. It's better than being followed. He knows they're looking, but the observer knows most of their surveillance tricks, and how to avoid them. He continues to help them even though he's "certain" they will be recaptured and tortured and that this all is a waste of time._

~

It was sometime during the middle of the night, that the train came to a halt, and Noah is roused by who he presumes to be Kevin.

Instead it's Firebrand - Separate.

Noah looked at Firebrand. Firebrand looked at him.

"Dudddeeee." said Kevin.

"Well the name makes sense now." 

He was tall, taller than Noah, and crackled with orange lines like a smoldering piece of wood. He moved in the slightest and embers flew off. Sharp black teeth and small golden eyes breaking his face. He breathed out a puff of smoke.

" **You can stop staring any time now."** A hundred eyes dotting his upper torso blinked open.

"How are we not supposed to?"

 **"We have** **_company_ **" 

"I thought you needed to possess me to cross this 'barrier' you keep taking about?"

 **"That's the theory - but right now you're going to do what I tell you**. **"**

~

_So it started like that. They hop off the train and are ushered behind a bunch of old rusted metal cargo crates. He tells them to stay put._

_They watch as he walks off into the gravel railyard._

_The fiery being stood rigid with a cool rage. Noah has no idea who these people are but just that they're the administrators pawn's and they're entirely human. Not even slightly demonic or magical. And they're afraid of Firebrand, but even more so the admin. They stood no chance and they all knew it. It was just another punishment, another joke for his betrayal._

_Firebrand uses the fire to starve them of oxygen - falling all relatively at the same time - it's a better death than burning and bubbling skin._

_But there is something else too. One more fight before they can cross the barrier. Cursor. Firebrand thinks it's strange that the keeper only sent Cursor - it's obviously a trap. Others wait out of sight._

_The night exploded into arcs of fire, shadows dancing and tall grass lighting up and smoking out. It's all a blur to him - because he didn't listen. He decides to sneak around with Kevin to watch. It's amazing to see. Firebrand floated in the air, black skin cracking open in yellow orange lines as he sent blasts into the faces of the collective members, who each tried their turn to get past him, to nab Noah._

_Kevin had even warned him that it was dangerous to be out in the open, but he persisted. If something happened, Noah would take the blame - well something DID happen - and he paid dearly for it._ _Everything was too complicated for human eyes, just flashes of lights and darks. At one point though - Noah catches the glimpse of a skull - deadhead - almost upon them, but a black ink slinks out from Kevin's mouth and deflects whatever the fuck he had coming._

_It was then that The Observer joined the world of the living like Firebrand, separated from Kevin into a shadow - even though it was night._

_"Idiots! You should be hiding!" He said, or something like that - probably with more curses._

_But the Observer wasn't listening either as they followed the lights and clouds of smoke in rapt attention. The Observer just sits nervously thanking hell that he's not on the receiving end this time._

_However a well timed blow sends the fiery god into the side of a steel warehouse. The two humans didn't even decide on it, running for the wreckage. Because Noah isn't really certain how indestructible the rogue really is._

_He doesn't exactly remember - it was both a literal and figurative flash, but it went something like this: Firebrand aimed a small torch of light towards Cursor - who even warned him prior - but it was too late before he realized the dust kicked up in the degree is combustible, and it is out of his control. The sparks reached the cloud and it ignited into a giant flaming ball of heat and smoke. Noah had shoved Kevin to the ground, covering his side as much as possible. He didn't move - even as the burning heat rolled over his back, taking the shirt in seconds and reaching his skin, sliding up over the right side of his face like liquid, such a cruel pain - his voice was stolen, mouth opened in silence. It trickled down his shoulder and forearm, and on to the ground, but Kevin's shielded. The fire is hot but doesn't get to him._

_Noah thinks he might already be dead but holds still as the fire finally dies into smoke, a few lone flames remaining._

_It hurts. Of course it fucking hurts dipshit. He didn't really think about that and he can't think about it right then either. He's rolled onto his stomach and Kevin's screaming and that's a terrible sound he never wants to hear again. It still feels like his back is boiling and he's sobbing like a baby because who wouldn't. bBeathing hurts horribly but he continued to pray that he doesn't go into shock and also that maybe he could pass the fuck out right now but his brains not allowing that either._

_He faintly hears Firebrand and The Observer yelling at one another over who's fault it was and "why isn't it working!?" and he remembers nothing beyond that but waking up in a bed that - based on how it felt - probably looked like his grandmother's nightgown. According to Kevin, the explosion itself was a big enough distraction - they'd booked it along the tracks and made it to the strange railroad tunnel. From there it was "the weirdest smooth sailing ever."_

_Kevin always tells him short stories explaining how they got where they are, but never too much as 'they' feared it would distress Noah - doctor's orders. He has little room to complain though, always running a fever of a hundred and being in too much pain to even move, much less breathe. His body is raging against the wounds to heal. He only gets a "You're not going to die" In regards to his symptoms._

_It's gross, revolting even, each day the blisters spotting his back and face are drained, and he has to have the newly formed yellow tissue scratched away, which doesn't hurt as much as he thinks it does. They tell him this is so the scar isn't raised and bumpy and painful. Some kind of salve that stings like a bitch is pressed down with gauze._

_And each day … when he tries to peel open his eyelids - there is nothing but blurry colors. He's told his corneas were slightly damaged in the flashover. He can hear who talks to him - but never is physically able to see them. They're quiet though. One worded replies through some kind of breathing apparatus to stop fussing around. The only other he can hear when he's awake is Kevin._

_Kevin is by him 24/7. If this isn't love he's not sure what is. He's extremely gentle and precise and the medic shows him how to treat and redress the wounds himself. It stings, like it always does, but only as much as it needs too - Kevin does nothing else more painful, and quickly numbs the spots he touches with an ice pack. And he feels kind of useless laying there but Kevin won't let him get up. Sometimes he would sit there and talk Noah to sleep when the pain broke through the medication he just knew was jabbed into him somewhere with a needle._

_It's one day when he's feeling much better that a somewhat quiet and way to happy voice comes trickling in - an exact opposite of himself - who Noah learns from Kevin is apparently the proprietor of wherever the fuck they are. They talk a bit and Noah swears it sounds like himself or Firebrand but holy shit are they annoying - they refer to the medic as the "para-god" like that's a normal word and Noah had and has no fucking clue what they're talking about 90% of the time._

_They tell him that it will "get better with time."_

_And while his eyes are scarred, and he can't read unless he has a strong pair of glasses and you put the book right in his face - it does get better._

_He can still make out the fuzzy colors of Kevin's face, and tell when he's smiling._

_'37' (apparently, is the name of said person) says his vision will get clearer, and may return in years to come. That he may need glasses but he will be able to read again, and see the details in Kevin's skin, so he, for once, has some hope._

_When he's able too, he walks again - he can only make out the general area of his scars in the mirror but it's a flushed red color traveling down part of his face and torso where the flames licked. He can't quite imagine what he looks like but Kevin always tells him he looks handsome, and then laughing as his face turns redder._

_After a while - there were visitors. Surprisingly the Observer was first trying to act like he didn't give a shit about what happened but his cool heartless facade was breaking away with time and revealed more of an angry shithead then a laughing maniac. They get a pair of visitors - that Noah can't quite place - but the way they speak sounds familiar. When he asks, there's a bit of a nervous laughter._

_And it's goddamn Vinny and Jeff from New Jersey and they're fucking_ **_alive_ ** _and not in a drainage pit somewhere or god knows where Habit dumps his bodies._

_There was no answer when he asked about Evan. But they tell him that Habit just "fucked off" apparently… he doesn't believe them for a minute but he's not going to pry._

_It's months before Firebrand even says hello, with some level of guilt that Noah didn't think his kind possessed. Noah doesn't actually blame him - even if he acts pissed. Firebrand doesn't scold him for not following instructions. Noah knows it's his fault. But Firebrand still ruminates on the wrongs and right and the fail-safes of the situation and not planning ahead as well. Usually his plans_ **_always_ ** _worked - and when they didn't, it shook him all the way to that fiery ashen core._

_Nowadays he's mostly content to stay inside with Kevin, try reading again, and sometimes going for walks - but he does prefer going out at night. He can't see the states but he can sure as hell feel them. And it's all a load of flying pig shit and crazy bullshit so much so he wouldn't be surprised if he woke up from the world's longest drug trip - but it's better than before. Yeah… a lot better than before. Because here, he can sit in a companionable silence with Kevin and it's just that. Quiet. No manic chaos - even if it's boring. Boring means alive._


	47. Memories of The Escape (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kevin's perspective while Noah is incapacitated.  
> The two rogues find what they were looking for.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Willy Wonka really fucked me up as a kid man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I've said this a hundred times but just in case for those people in the back, Firebrand in this posseses Noah rather than (spoiler) Noah becoming him in the future.

**Flashback**

**(Kevin & The Observer)**

  
  


_It was a train tunnel, he remembers, which narrowed and ended into some drainage canal. They're not followed into the staticy light ahead. He wakes up leaning against an unconscious Noah, burned and blistered horribly, both ironically next to a hearth as if Noah was just pulled from such. It crackled low, flames a strange neon yellow rather than orange._

_He had laid Noah down on the floor of this strange place. Firebrand wasn't anywhere to be seen - The Observer lurked in his shadow, not possessing him but not detached either. Kevin stepped around, cautiously through the pristine marble halls, Tap. Tap. Tap. Echoed his footsteps. They're alone, but that doesn't change the eerie foreboding quiet._

_A scent like asphalt hits and it's … familiar to the Observer… some lost thing. He looks over Kevin's shoulder through the towering pillars and sees creeks of lava and blue skies. It's a temple of sorts. A pantheon? Kevin isn't sure - but The Observer's having a strange sense of Deja vu hitting from all sides._

_This place … looked like the one … in his dreams … just older. Those impossible dreams because the Observer doesn't_ **_dream_ ** _like a fleshy creature_ **_-_ ** _but he had done it somehow._

_~_

**"You were right."** They both jumped at the voice and presence of Firebrand nearby. He lays a black palm to the marble, leaving a handprint of soot behind.

**"I think … we lived here … long ago. Like the building has sat in wait for us… it feels like …."**

"- like we're supposed to be here…" Observer finishes.

**"I'd understand why they would steal this from our memories …"**

"Hello!? Noah's dying!" Kevin yells.

" **Not here … he's in a stasis for now … but we do need aid… I will go look around…"** With that he walked off. That was the least bossy Kevin had ever seen Firebrand act. It was weird … but refreshing. However, he is barely ten feet away from them when an odd vibe crescendos in dead silence.

There's a stirring, like wind chimes - foreboding wind chimes - a clank of some falling debris ahead and if he presses his ear to the ground, a rhythmic sound … like …

 _Marching_.

Now they all hear it. Weird banshee like calls ring out in an attempt to scare them. Heavy smoke drizzles down the long corridors approaching them - it's not Firebrands doing.

" **Someone's coming…"**

"Who? I can't see them …" The Observer whisper yells.

" **I don't know-"** He responds **"-Get ready..."**

"What if it's Habit? Or or …." 

**"I almost wish it were … but the Habit we know would make some prissy grand entrance… with more purple."** He groaned.

Kevin can only look between the two, and then back to the growing smoke.

" **Obs … move them out of the way."**

"Right."

He goes to drag Noah but Kevin argues.

"We can't just move him, that could damage him further."

"Not really TIME for that, now fucking lift!"

For the hundredth time he wishes he could strangle a shadow.

The smoke is growing thicker as they pull Noah behind a pillar, out of sight of the main hall. The smoke grows thicker and Kevin strains to see past Firebrand. There is definitely something hiding within a large, bulky silhouette, which proceeds to split into more bulky outlines.

Firebrand stands unflinching, arms at his sides.

" _Alshamsssss…"_ A distant bell in his head rings and it reverberates - something forgotten and lost. This distracts Jim long enough for what's coming out of the thick.

"AGHH!" He screeches, baring his large, lipless teeth as water sprays forth in crippling pressure. He pulls streams of lava into the air without meaning too, but they flop to the floor as he's suddenly yanked into the cloud.

Silence.

The Observer grabs Kevin by the collar, Noah with another appendage, and drags them down a smaller corridor to a secluded room.

"I thought you needed help lifting! He ignores Kevin.

" _Fucking - stay here … don't make any fucking noise."_ With that the Observer rushes off god knows where.

Kevin waits there, watching Noah's breathing, terrified it might stop. He wishes he could soothe the burns somehow. They're deep, down all the way through the dermis. 

It's quiet besides a bootstraps - until he hears a loud

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Undoubtedly from the Observer and he sits against the wall, palm over his mouth so he doesn't make a peep.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._

It matches his heart. They grow close, looming shadow in the doorway, a loud puffing noise like Darth Vader.

Their head shoots around the corner, and he almost squeaks, backing up. He crouches over Noah's body, trying to appear as intimidating as possible to the intruder, thick rubber boots clinking over the calcotta floors. He can see now they wear a well-worn firefighter uniform, barely up to any kind of standard. They hit a button on their radio - they don't talk. Static comes over - still no spoken voice. The hulking figure kneels down slinging a big blue duffel bag onto the ground containing …

First aid equipment. 

What-

Where they … here to help? Huh?

They reach for Noah's good wrist and Kevin let's them, slowly retreating his defensive posture. They're careful, inserting an IV into his hand, wrapping it still with a bandage. This is the first step of many in a delicate process that unfolds by the minutes. There were more and more of the bulky men in gear and one even tried checking him over despite his jumpiness, getting sticky pads plotted all over his torso because for some reason they needed to check his heart rate; were not satisfied until they got what they wanted. They're all silent and quick working and poke at him and Noah like over-protective mothers and he's starting to get claustrophobic.

"Please … I'm alright…" The scooped Noah into a stretcher, and then smoke is seeping through their jackets filling the room. He tries to cough and sputter but it fills his lungs, itching and uncomfortable and then there's pure air again and he's hacking up the black air. He blinks. One moment he was in the temple. The next -

He's sitting in a wooden chair, in some old stone building, Noah lays on his stomach in a metal framed bed. There's floating bags of clear liquids like jellyfish, and Kevin isn't too sure what all the drugs are, but just knows that whatever it is is working, as Noah sleeps with a comfortable snore, bandaged to the nines, no longer twitching in pain when he breathes. 

And that's ok. He has no fucking idea where they are, where the other two went, or what's going on, but his priority now - watch over Noah. So he will wait here patiently.

**_~_ **

_That is, initially, how the story went - at least for Kevin. Once Noah was able to be moved from the mysterious hospital, they were taken to an old rickety building, a silent city dotted with street lamps along it's cobblestone roads like it was out of some old British crime show. It was a quiet and uneventful move in to avoid drawing attention_ . _But for the two rogue 'angels' there was a little more to it before being released._

~

They're underground - he knows that much, by the cool air and moisture, stalactites and glowing algae sticking to the ceiling. Whatever 'spell' he's under keeps him solidified. A solid shadow. _Ha._ Firebrand is in a similar position, but his hands are bound to his chest like one of those Egyptian mummy things. All of his eyes are closed, except for two of them on his face. He breathes out puffs of smoke in stubborn defiance, but he can't get much hotter than that. 

"Can you stop that? Fucking stinking up the place…"

" **Shut up, you can't smell shit for brains."**

Before he can retort a ghostly howl screams down through the caverns. 

"You believe in ghosts brandy?"

" **Wha - no? Shut up.** "

"I'm being serious!"

Someone is approaching down the tunnel. The Observer shrinks back, while Firebrand tenses up like he's going to do anything about it.

Around the corner comes … Kevin.

"Kevin?"

 **"Are you daft!? That's Noah!"** Firebrand spits. **"Noah what the fuck!? Shit head unbind us."**

"Uh - no I think you're losing it - that's clearly Kevin, they look nothing alike - did you finally fry your brains?"

 **"DID YOU!?** "

"GO FUCK YOURSELF!"

" **FUCK YOU!"**

"~ _Pleaseee~"_ The stranger hisses. " _You're both wrong."_ KevinNoah says.

They both turn yelling " **FUCK OFF! DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE TALKING TOO!?** "

"Yes … and god if I were your friend the magician I'd be slamming your skulls together. And shit - I'm a loud mouth but can you keep it down? This is an enclosed space and I already have tinnitus from Nam - thank you very much."

Both of them clicked at the same time, _finally_ realizing this wasn't either Kevin _or_ Noah. It was some trick…

It's also then, Firebrand realizes the air is nitrogen - no wonder he can't form any flames. 

"Alshams." They address Firebrand.

" **That's not …** " _but is it?"_

"The Sun fell to earth and yet walks in darkness … a being capable of much more firepower - yet so limited, probably another effect of your dear _keeper._ You're a strong one … I'm surprised he pulled the wool over your eyes for so long…"

" **I wasn't his** **_pawn … not forever_ **"

"But even so, he kept you from home for sooo long. Stockholm Syndrome much?

They turn to The Observer.

"And _Hukm_ … Judgement … so so many sins for someone who is supposed to judge them, no?" They wither under the truthful accusation, refusing to look at Firebrand and show any fear.

"You know _I_ had to take over that job in your absence right? God - I was hoping for some relief, but you're hardly fit to do _anything…_ "

The insult hurts, and he wants to bite back, but he's not keen on dying - especially in front of Firebrand, he refuses to give him that laughing satisfaction.

**"Enough of your teasing … we came here for a reason-"**

"Yes yes I know. I can smell Harut's bastard claws all over you. Not just one - but two of you, _escaped_. That's quite an impressive feat."

Both aren't sure if it's a compliment or not.

"But why, more _how_ did you get here - assuming you're missing a big chunk of memories."

"I had … a weird dream…" The Observer speaks up.

"Hmm - so despite all his tricks and fetters, you still had enough curiosity to come looking for a place you saw in a dream…"

" **Habit - Habit also spoke about it** …"

"Oh… ohhhhhh _ha~ha~ha~ha~ha~ha. Habit_. Yes. I remember."

"You know him?" The Observer starts but is immediately interrupted by Firebrand.

**"What did you do to him?"**

"Hmph, quick to cut the chase aren't we. Habit has been punished for his crimes accordingly - beyond that, I have no idea where he ran off too. Probably cowering a hole somewhere." They shrug.

 **"Habit's not really the 'cowering' type … again,** **_what did you do?"_ **

"Something which I couldn't do to you two anyway - you're lucky … or maybe very unlucky."

Firebrand's arms are freed, and then a boot promptly meets his face.

"I'd say that works well enough!"

Firebrand doesn't even make a noise.

"No retaliation? Let me guess - because you think you deserve it right? Who left those burn marks on that man's skin hmm? Who almost _killed_ him, trying to _save_ him."

The Observer expects a rise out of him, but there's nothing in the aching silence.

"Such a fallacy isn't it? Having a _heart_. Why care about a human being - oh there lives are so short and meaningless, am I right?" They grab his jaw, roughly, and he's looking straight into not-Noah's eyes.

 **"... No … they … do … matter."** He painfully admits, ignoring the Observer's gawking expression. He can't _believe_ he actually said that aloud.

" _Ha ha ha ha ha ha-"_ They let go of him gently. " _Good answer_."

"And you …" they kneel in front of the shadow.

"For you … I think a suitable punishment is to watch over the humans you so pestered. And make sure _nothing_ _happens to them_. Got it?" 

"Yeah …" He pouts out, but they don't push him on it.

"Now that _that_ is done…" The Observers locked form is released and he slinks back onto the cave walls like a proper shadow.

"What you seek is down there-'' They point "-follow your own path." With that they merge into the darkness behind the stalagmites and stalactites pointed like jowls. 

They stand in shared silence for a moment, until certain they've left.

 **"Well** … **let's go…"**

There's a hand painting on the wall. Their shapes sit in a cave as their captor stares down on them - which literally happened a minute ago. Blue light from the bacteria guide their way through a tunnel of twisting roots and stone, and on the ceilings and walls are things he remembers with clarity, the temple, their escape, and when Firebrand broke him free of the Collective's binding. Eventually, it branches, and they each split to their respective sides, the ones that call to them, a whispering wind in an airless cave. Occasionally, the two run into each other again as their paths collide - a shared memory, and then they're back alone. Sometimes it intersects with a tunnel that The Observer believes is Kevin's, it too shows shared memories. He thinks if he shouts he could still hear the other - but that would break the trance. 

He stops at a narrowing in the cave, the segment is shattered in an almost perfect circle. This is the earliest thing he remembers. A new tool of the Collective. _Does he want to know?_ What happened before … maybe it's worse than he imagines. But he has to know. He's come too far, committed too much, there's no going back - back is death or worse. He floats over the line.

The world around him flashes like that boat ride scene from Willy Wonka (So what, maybe he did watch a few human movies in his spare time…) Light's and sounds and images of a life forgotten.

He sees a terrifying thing with a huge, dragon-like skull in a gleaming smile, and he feels small. 

He sees huge beasts with wings and gnashing teeth, trying to eat him as he hides in the crags of a cliffside.

He sees a bastard child, hatched from a clear egg spit out with a mother's dying breath.

 _He has a_ _mother_.

Yes … it's his mother … but it can't be at the same time. Because this mother is very much human and he knows humans can't lay eggs.

But he has an _origin_. He's not simply a bred tool for the Keepers sake. He has roots now - well hidden at that, but existent. 

_'What a lousy fucking kid I turned out to be…'_

The passage finally converged into one room, Several tunnels branching out in different directions like the spindly ligaments of the Administrator. He stands next to Firebrand, peering at what has him frozen stiff.

There's pictures, not paintings but actual pictures. At least a hundred, if not more.

But what is detailed in said pictures...

"I want to leave…"

**"I agree."**

They walk through an empty upshaft towards the light of the surface world.

**"Observer. They can't ever see this. Especially not Noah."**

"I know."

~

_And it's a shared secret. The only answers they never get - what the Devil calls the 'truth'. They refuse telling the two - saying they told only three other angels - and it was a huge mistake. They would be a lot happier without knowing. What kind of mistake to say was always unclear - The Devil revealed little, dodging questions like they were nukes. Only collected bits of data from offhand comments._

_They both saw the reality of their origins but neither of them ever begin to talk about it_

_And, there is the matter of Firebrand. He is The Sun. Like the tarot cards. An angel and a powerful one at that._

_And then there was himself. The Observer. 'Judgement'. His is an angel as well … a sad excuse for one, he imagines. A mad crazy sunovabitch with a stick up his ass._

_Because terribly, inexplicably, he looks up to him_ . _A blinding light. Even when he was still a part of the collective - he'd try to harass attention out of him. Be an asshole for any kind of reaction. But Firebrand gave him nothing. A cold stone wall walking around in Noah Maxwell's body. Even Kevin could feel pain at that. The Observer doesn't feel. Doesn't hate or life or anything because he is - was a tool. Drive fear into the hearts of men._

_Because they were always at each other's throats after Firebrand went rogue - because the Administrator was trifled by this and demanded his return and cooperation - meaning The Observer has to be the one to go out and fucking follow the guy. Who - by the way - could get super violent. He'd locate him, stalk him, and then he would turn around pissed and angry and smack him around a little bit as he cackled because all he could was cackle. If he stopped laughing he might start feeling and that is deadly. (He never had left permanent scars though … never burned him with those cursed flames, even when he threatened too.)_

_It's not until the dream that started this charade occured - that he stopped laughing._

**_There was nothing left to laugh about_** _._

_And it sunk in how incredibly and utterly alone he was with these fears and emotions and he thinks maybe it's because of Kevin - but it's not. Even when they separated the feelings were still there._

_Because then he realized, his last resort for 'hope' would be the rogue himself._

_Because he's the only one he fears as much as the Administrator._

_Because maybe … if he handed himself over to Firebrand - at least then it would be some kind of absolution rather than the endless monotony of the collective. His death was long overdue, but they just kept using and using him like a rusted old car._

_Because he was darkness - and the sun burned shadows. But he really wanted to be in its warmth. Even if he was cremated alive._

_Because he is_ **_Firebrand_** _. The White King. The Rogue God. He set him free - and he would, for all the others that deserved redemption. He would free them too._

_Because he hates him - but that's not the correct word for it._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Few notes and stuff:  
> 1\. I try to be overly thorough in explaining but if anyone's ever confused about something feel free to ask!  
> 2\. While I marked the main ships and the blatantly apparent ships, there's still a bunch that you could mark as "ambiguous" and it's kinda left up to you, the reader. If you see it as a ship and want to ship it in the context of the story, have at it! If you just see it as platonic, that's Gucci too! IDGAF I'll support any ship as long as it's legal.  
> 3\. The Devil told three angels the truth, one was Jay's, the other two? A mystery.  
> 4\. I'm gonna list some of the true names for the angels we already know right now, and their meanings.  
> So we have the main three Alqamar, Alnassik, and Eadala. Each is a direct translation of their corresponding tarot card, The Moon, The Hermit, and Justice.  
> Then their is Aietidal - Temperance, who is Jessica's counterpart  
> It's hinted that Toby may also have one - but who that could be is still a mystery, though if you're really super like tarot savvy and know what each stands for, you probably can put it together who he might be  
> The Devil really doesn't have another name, as they just go by their number, and also the direct translation of The Devil is Shaytan so that's pretty clue full. They do however, have a secret and very unused name 'Kadhaab' which means Liar.  
> The operator is the Tower, and is named Harut after a fallen biblical angel.  
> Habit, The Magician, destroyed his name long ago with memory loss, but it used to be Alsaahir  
> The hanged man, Alrajul, who's name was misready as "Orange"  
> Firebrand is of course, The Sun, Alshams - though mostly goes by Firebrand unless it's the devil annoying him  
> The Observer is Judgement, of all things, he never uses his real name as he sees it as unimportant, but it is Hukm  
> And finally The World is the ark itself, called the ark


	48. Devil!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim rushes to find a lead
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> 101 ways to dodge questions with the devil

Tim walks, almost jogging with his hands in pocket (as usual). The weather apparently responds to his haste, wind whipping around like wet lashes. 

He _did not_ want to speak to the Devil again. But he has an itching question - and a lead that he is _getting_ if he has to strangle it out. Angels be damned.

Something bads on the horizon - when has there ever not been - but now he has a certain confirmation, and goddammit, whatever is taking place he's going to put a foot in it instead of trying to ignore it like last time. He wasn't _alone_ in this anymore. The inconceivable seemed reachable now. He has some kind of control. Maybe. Or it could be his head playing with him.

He follows the feeling of annoyance and stupidity and sure enough, finds the Devil at the other end of the thread.

They seem to be rifling through old papers, and he wonders if they can even see what they're doing through the mask - confirming his thoughts when they bump into the wall in front of them.

"Devil!" He stops in the thin wooden hallway, feet apart with the light behind him.

"Knew you were on the way…"

They spin around with a ratty old cloth hanging over their mask.

"Oh what the hell you already know." They pull the cloth from the clear plastic of the respirator, and it's _still_ his face smiling uncharacteristically at him.

It was really weird looking at himself, much more having a conversation with himself.

"So whatcha need Tim-Tam …. Ttt-tam, t-tuh Tim -"

"Stop." 

He breathes relief when they go quiet.

"Cut to the chase - The prospects for the future look grim for everyone I've talked to around here, what are you doing about the whole operator situation besides sitting around and waiting?" They squint at him.

" _Are you questioning my loyalties?"_

"What? No! You know what, screw it, do you take complaints?"

"Yes we do actually there's a for-"

"Jay has an egg and it's not a bird's egg and he's acting all fucked up and I think you know something so spill it-"

"He found a what?" They blink.

"An egg … a big egg… like white shell - you know an egg!"

"How big?"

"I - I don't know! Like this-" He brackets his palms in a circle. They contemplate this for a long second, eyes darting to roll back as they think, tongue sticking out and licking their nose and Tim doesn't think he's ever stuck his tongue out, much less like that - but he also acknowledges the fact that they appear to be using their brain.

They snap back to reality (if they were ever there to begin with) and grumble.

"Fuck … Alnassik what are you trying to do..."

They sit in the rickety wooden chair leaning back on two leg, and then pin him with a serious glare.

"Those eggs are dangerous. But more importantly, I wouldn't trust what he might be planning to do with the egg. I doubt he's raising it to be a chick. No, something worse. I-"

They jolt in the chair, and a glove shoots to their mouth. They stare at Tim almost stunned, even offended.

' _Speak no evil?'_ Something whispers at the back of his skull - Alqamar - _is he fucking watching this!?_

They grab their head, shaking it like a migraine, growling - and when they look back up it shows a more lifelike version of Tim's mask. Black lips in a scissor-toothed grimace, black void-less eyes, skin a pale white with rings of black around their lids. The only difference being their eyebrows, which are thicker and - yep that's definitely hair.

" _Fucking … deals."_

A blue tongue flicks out, running over sharp teeth.

They stand, swinging the chair around and landing a boot on it with a crunch.

"SO TIMMY I HEARD YOU'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS." 

Yes that's definitely his mask talking like a human.

"Uh yeah… what were you saying about the egg?"

"Oh that's very _common_ . People talk shit about acceptance and diversity on your social media's and and … written blogs - but when they're faced with a real life situation, some take action, some over react, but most flee. Because they've never actually encountered it _in person_." They turn away from him trying to bury themselves in an ornate desk.

"Still have no idea what you're talking about."

"You think people liked _me?_ Me, the real me, not all the chutes and ladders bullshit. Ha, _no_." They wrench a screwdriver in the compartment. "No … my "quirks" my "insecurities" - they weren't _cute_. They were _weird_. I am their real life horror. A living abomination of all the things hypocrites pledge their _souls_ to protecting. And who better to be it then the world's biggest liar? The world's biggest hypocrite? Ha!" They busted the drawer open rifling through and scrabbling something on a piece of paper, laughing to themselves.

He expects something sinister - instead they pull out an air horn and blast it in his face. He walks out of the abandoned room and down the hall, and they only continue to chase him away.

"Leave me alone."

"Oh come on! You're so afraid now? Just minutes ago you wouldn't leave the powder keg alone now would you Tim?" They pull the mask off despite the toxic air and cough horrendously, managing through breaths: "Really Tim - take a - good look - at - yourself! Do they - really - like you? Or just - the _thought_ of you." He had enough of this bullshit before it even started, there was no winning an argument against a guy like this. The devil would always have an answer … and as much he hates to admit, they might be the right answers, but that sure as hell isn't going to stop him from living his fucking life.

They continued their cackling even after he was near the end, back into the respirator that preserved their walking gray body.

"You can hide but you can't run!"

He's storming away cursing under his breath - this was fucking inanity - it's as if they'd fallen down the rabbit hole and he was the only one not living the fairytale.

He digs his hands into his pocket angrily - and hits a slip of paper, almost cutting his finger. Huh?

He looks back - The Devil is gone from where they were standing. He pulls it out and … it reads …

"A SICKNESS SPREADS. LIARS EVERYWHERE."

_'Holy shit it's a lead'_

It's a message … why didn't they just say it aloud?

Unless …

They _couldn't_.

"Hello?" He calls, then, cautiously walks back. 

"Hey … were you trying to tell me something? What does this mean?" He grovels when there's no reply but the aching walls.

"The mouth of a liar… The mouth of a liar … the devil has the mouth of a liar..." He remembers out loud. 

Well that leaves two options … One - something is threatening the Devil, and they're being watched or - Two - it was literal, and they couldn't physically speak the truth … _but they can write it_.

But if it were the second option, with all the trouble of writing it down, why can't it be specific? Why can't they tell?

Or hell - maybe it was the other way around 

.. they _couldn't_ lie - and shooed Tim out for that reason. Like they're protecting someone…

There's many options - but 'sickness' seems to be the priority of the hint.

In some way or another … Jay was sick. Or he was sick. Or Brian was sick. Someone was sick - or maybe they all are... 

That makes matters worse - it's not a big deal if one person is sick, they've got eachothers backs but if they were _all_ 'sick'… _that's the real question._

 _A sickness spreads._ He doubts it's a true viral thing. But whatever it is, it 'spreads.'

Now what did 'liars' and 'spreading' have to do with each other.

Liars and spreading … liars and spreading…

"Ah!" He runs full on into someone, not realizing he'd already made it outside and into the alleys. He stutters back, before a hand catches him.

"Sorry … I was walking around with my eyes closed…"

"N-no it was my fault I wasn't paying atten-" he looks up "-tion."

It's _the man_ . He just knows it. _It's the man that Alex killed in the tunnel_.

"You alright man?" Their face is fine but he can only remember the bloody and beaten corpse he'd tripped on in the tunnel all those months ago. It stirs some irrational dread in him, like being near this man means death is near, so he turns and bolts into the darkness. They don't follow.

He doesn't stop until he's on the flight of their room - it's then he sees Brian standing outside, blood trickling down his forearm. He stares, mouth stuck in place. He gives Tim a painful look, and nods through the doorway, partially open and a small trail of droplets leading out.

"Are you ok?" He nods, showing his healing wound.

He turns back to the door, placing a hand on the wood. Brian puts one on his shoulder in warning. He slowly, slowly, gives it a push, letting light fall on the dark room.

Jay sits, studying his hand.

"Th-there was a knife …" Regardless he rushes to his side, steadying the after shakes of an apparent seizure.

"Jay! What did you do!?"

"I - I don't know I don't know-"

"Breathe Jay, think before you speak."

"I don't know what came over me … I don't know … why did I do that!?" He cries out, trying to back up from Tim, but an iron grip on his wrist prevents him from moving far.

Tim looks over at the egg, still sitting pristine in a nest of blankets and clothing. Jay - smells.

"Jay have you showered at all this week?"

"Of course I did … I think … I don't actually remember but I should've…"

"You don't remember showering!?"

"No … I don't remember most of the week…"

"And that's just something you were going to keep secret."

"It's nothing new, it's not like we all keep missing memories."

"Yeah Jay, but I think I'd _remember_ if I showered."

"Well - well maybe that's just you." He crosses his arms.

Tim looks back to the egg.

"It's because of this thing Jay! You've been -"

The next one thing he thinks is that his lungs have fallen out of his chest. In a swift move he was across the room, pounced on by Jay who screams "STAY AWAY FROM THAT MOTHERFUCKER IF YOU VALUE YOUR EYES!"

"Okay. Okay." He tapers off with a wheeze, and he swears he hears him skitter back to the pile. He looks to see glowing blue eyes from the dark corner. Brian shrugs from the doorway.

He'd become unnaturally protective of the egg. This wasn't Jay and this was something beyond Alnassik's control - and if what he gathered from 37 was right … 

_He had to destroy that egg_. 

For everyone's good.


	49. Crisis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica is back in her apartment on Earth - what will she do?
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> 110 ways to ignore that the apocalypse is going down around you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I missed Jessica and Toby

[(Isolation - Houseki no Kuni)](https://youtu.be/uMFN4Pbz11s)

She's never been this horrified to see her apartment ceiling. She grips the mask. She's alone. Toby's going to die. It's pointless. It's all horseshit. She lays in her pity for a few more minutes, before sucking in the tears and shuffling to her feet.

She goes to turn in the tv, but she doesn't think she can stand the news with all of this happening. She doesn't mind the breaking news headline that says "Level 4 Elevated Emergency." 

Like sad wind chimes the words come back to her.

" _Find your home."_ She shakes. 

**This isn't home**.

Alrighty then …. She has to get help. But how?

There's a few things she can do. She whips out her laptop and opens google, pausing a moment, then typing a certain name in.

She _does_ find him, at least, news _about_ him… gruesome news that definitely confirms all of his jokes, along with several sightings of tall faceless men in suits. She realizes there's no way she can get to Colorado on her budget. Realizes there's no way for Toby to even find her without drawing attention to it. Realizes he's fucked.

It's useless, but her worries only grow and fester like weeds. He was going to get himself in trouble. He was going to try and fight that thing. And Jessica knows _he can't win._

_Not if she can put a stop to it._

She searches Jay Merrick next - maybe she can contact him through Facebook or something …

But the first result is … a missing article.

"Jay Merrick reported missing 12/24/13."

"W-wait that's … before Tim … he said he moved away … why is he still missing?"

She scrolls.

"Marble Hornets, a Cult Murder Case?"

"FBI Questions if Videos Real or Fake After Disappearance of Several Cast Members."

"Are Monsters Real? New Evidence the FBI Can't Conclude!"

"The Tragic Case of 'Marble Hornets'"

"FBI Most Wanted: FBI offers reward for any leads on the whereabouts of the "Marble Hornets Kids."

Marble Hornets, Marble Hornets, Marble _fucking_ Hornets! What was this all about!? Holy shit she doesn't have time for this! How big is this mess?

She searches for Alex - Missing. Still.

Amy - Missing.

There is a list of names associated with Marble Hornets - all are missing … including _hers_.

She searches her name alone.

"MISSING: Jessica Locke, last seen by employer -" It's dated for three weeks ago. She swears she wasn't gone _that_ long.

Entries for Marble Hornets pop up again.

"FINAL MEMBER OF THE MARBLE HORNETS CULT GOES MISSING! MORE AT TEN!"

She slams the computer.

No.

She doesn't want to know. She can't focus on the past - the present is what matters.

"Hey! Temperance!? That's your name right? Can you … I don't know, give me some advice?" She calls to the ceiling fan.

_'Take your keys - go for a drive.'_

"You know what … I will …Thanks head voice."

She walks out into the parking lot, looking around nervously before making a belign - then remembers she parked across the street, so she stops at the curb to look both ways.

But on the other side.

A woman stands, staring at her with black eyes that shine in the moon rays.

_'Oh god.'_

"Found youuuuuuuuu~" Jessica turns to run back - but whatever creature this is has leapt the entire width of the road, and drags her by the hair.

"AGH!"

"Hold still dear!" Her fingers come to wrap around the impossibly strong arm on her scalp, to no avail, but then her nails grow longer, digging into pale flesh with opal shards.

"AH! YOU BITCH!" She breaks free, elbowing their unguarded stomach, and putting distance between them. But she quickly recovers with a shark toothed smile, standing up in the road and cracking her neck.

And then an ambulance slams into her at 60 mph.

Jessica would've screamed if not a bit stunned.

A paramedic rolls down the window.

"HA! GOT EEM!"

"RONNY WHAT THE FUCK NOW THE WINDSHIELDS BROKEN AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE IT OUT OF OUR MINIMUM WAGE!"

"... Worth it."

Jessica watches, a bit perplexed at their behavior. They get out and start kicking the remains.

"Think that did the trick?" 

She thinks to warn them that the thing they just hit isn't human, and was probably going to be getting up, even after that. Before she can do so, a black vine shoots up from the corpse and attempts to wrangle a leg. However - they beat the thing down with such an arcane looking staff she swears it's out of some nerdy card game.

"EAT SHIT SLENDER BITCH!" 

"Ronny can't you have a little more courtesy than that!?"

"I left my morals back in Constantinople."

She sighs. 'Ok _apparently they know what they're doing …'_

Their heads swivel around to look at Jessica, eyes gone fully white and round.

"Uhhhh-" she's cornered by their gaze.

"Hi milady! Or Sir! Or Sir madam! We don't care!" The one named Ronny yells.

"Aietidal… It's an honor to meet you and your vessel." 

"Uh … oh …It's no big deal…" She blushes at the compliment, "Who are - I mean, what's your names?" She laughs nervously.

"Knight of Wands!" Yells Ronny. 

"Ten of Wands." The other says.

"Oh so you're like … more tarot stuff … great - hey actually I could use some-"

"Help from us? We'd be honored too." Ten says, followed by "Much good it will do!" Laughs the knight, receiving an elbow to the side.

"I uh … is there somewhere I can go … or some magical way of finding someone? It's urgent."

"Like …. Another realm?"

"Yeah, sure sure, another realm I guess."

"I would best advise Rosswood Park. It's the nearest bridge for the realms. We could give you a ride once we finish up here-"

"No that's fine! I can drive there, besides you all seem kinda … busy."

"Yeah, towns crawling with these things… bunch of sub-par monsters if you ask me. It seems he's just sending them out to look for the other vessels for the major arcana…"

Jessica does her best to ignore the implications of that and just focus on herself for now.

"Well, I wish you guys best of luck!"

"You too Madame!" Ronny yells. 

With that she makes it to her car and avoids a longer, more awkward conversation as the two "wands" wave in the rearview mirror.

The soft blue light of the car clock reads 3:47am. The radio stays off - she can't stand the noise right now. She almost has a lead foot, speeding through the night … being in the real world is strange. Her body is here, but her mind is still in fairytale world. She just asks for the love of goodness not to be interrupted on her drive. She merges on the expressway - it's relatively quiet except for a few trucks back and forth.

There's a noise, and the ground rumbles through her car.

' _Oh please not this again!'_

There are no more sounds, but she maintains a fair distance from other vehicles in her paranoia.

She gets off at the fateful exit. As she's meandering the country roads towards the park, there's another rumble. And another.

She sees the sign - one mile. No cops around - she floors it, as the ground rumbles more like it wants to break. By the time she pulls into the parking lot she can barely walk on the concrete, but without hesitation.

She's running through mowed grass towards the dark stands of trees despite the screaming to turn back - She hates Rosswood. Not only that - she hates the darkness, and It's darker than dark here - but the earthquake stops as soon as she steps over the first root.

It's almost pitch black, and it stings with nighttime life to keep her company in the sense terror thicket. Crickets and cicadas and a few owls - and one very confused songbird.

This is insanity - but she's walked through a sideways forest before, this is hardly the same as that death defying experience.

But she's not defenseless this time - or alone. She has a _motherfucking angel_ on her side and confidence to fly to the moon and no walking stick man was going to stop her.

So like a proud warrior, she steps into enemy territory.


	50. Ephemeral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay has a dream. Tim takes action.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Thalassophobia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Angels Egg

[(Night Thief - Angels Egg)](https://youtu.be/0lTgYnqJGc8)

Jay is dreaming - he knows that much. He walks through a more decrepit version of the city, impossibly abandoned even moreso. He's barefoot, ghosting over cold stone. _'Where am I going?'_

His reflection is in the broken windows - but he is instead a little girl with long white hair and sad eyes. And other times, he is the same one, grown up into a woman.

He keeps pace with the reflection, feeling a strange exhaustion despite being asleep.

Each passing fractal his and her hands raise with a ball of light. It grows in his hand, curling between his fingers, until he points it to the sky, and it bursts into a blinding eclipse.

He expects this to wake him up.

Instead - the angels do.

Firebrand breaks out of his stupor sitting by the fireplace at the strange sensation. It's something he's never felt before - but it doesn't feel like an angel. More like a ghost has passed through.

He looks at The Observer.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah … I think so…"

He looks out the window, suspiciously at the moon - it never breaks through the clouds like that…

Even the Devil wrenches awake.

"Fuck' was that?" They swivel their head around the room, before a hand comes to push them back down into bed from the beside chair. They need their rest.

Eadala quivers inside Brian, looking to the sky.

 _'What's wrong?'_ He asks, despite the other not being able to understand him - until he replies back in the first english thought he's ever heard from him.

' ** _Bad…'_ **

Alnassik fails to stir.

It's quiet.

The wind swells and surges through the streets, blowing old leaves around - there are no trees around here.

It's a full moon tonight, for once it manages to pierce through the overcast.

Now is the time.

Brian is gone.

It's just him, Jay, and the egg.

The hairs of his knuckles gleam as they hover over Jay's sleeping form, moving with precision, carefully, carefully, wrapping around the egg. He moves Jay's sleeping arm over, and then, picks the egg up and out of Jay's nest.

It's very light despite the size. He tiptoes across the boards, leaning his weight slowly into the steps to avoid any noise. He does this until he's out of the building, and into a little alcove in the road.

He holds it above his head.

One second.

He gulps.

Two seconds.

He breathes in.

Three seconds.

He breathes out.

Four -

He slams the egg into the stone.

It bounces off, intact.

"Oh come on…" 

He tries again and it deflects off into the air.

Fine. He would have to bludgeon it with something…

He digs through nearby rubbish, finding a vine-like object, shaped like a cross and sufficiently heavy.

With a heave he hoists it into the air. The moonlight doesn't touch him here in the alley. He kneels one leg on the ground, and with the toll of a bell, he brings the bottom straight down.

A wave of light bursts out in a ring, followed by silence. He opens his eyes to see the shattered remains of the egg … but … it is empty.

"What the fuck!?" What was even the point!?

" _Stupid … fucking … paranoia."_ He grumbles, throwing the tool to the side. The Devil had probably been pranking him - ' _Dammit_!'

Fuck it … he's going to go back to _that_ road. It's the only thing he can think of - he needs answers. He will wait no more.

\---

Jay blinks, hands feeling for a certain lack of space next to him and when he finally realizes he's fully conscious.

 _The egg is gone_.

 _'Where is it, where is it!?'_ He flings everything around the room like a tornado, then the bathroom, the hallway, then he double checks everything - triple checked and pulls at his hair - he has to find Brian and Tim - yeah, they probably were just watching it while he was sleeping. He will find them and retrieve the egg and everything will be alright (and at this point, he is too far gone to contemplate why exactly he needs the egg).

He tries not to run down the stairs, but he fumbles a bit in his nervous haste.

He doesn't know why or how he knows Tim was here but he sidesteps into an alleyway, searching slowly through the darkness.

_Crack. Crunch._

He has stepped on something.

He waits for a cloud to pass over, so just enough light makes its way into the side street to confirm his darkest beliefs.

There lies, on the ground. The egg shell shattered into separate chunks. Empty of life. 

A vision replays in his head - showing his precious egg being smashed into smithereens by none other than Tim.

His mouth moves into several shapes - because he can't quite _think_. Can't breathe - and then he finally remembers his diaphragm and sucks in air.

(3:29)

" ** _AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"_ **

Jay screams an awful sound, in two voices, like a banshee. He takes off through the city looking for Tim, the only question of ' _why?'_ on his tongue.

_'Why, why, why, why!??!?'_

Right, left, racing over the alley walls and crates, he can sense his presence from a mile away. A raging white fire in his sternum. 

_'How could he do this, How could he!?'_

His lungs burn and he never notices.

 _'There!'_ all his thoughts conjure, eyes dilating and blood boiling - focusing on the dot of Tim walking away from him down the street with the precision of a mad eagle.

He screams - " **LIAR**! **YOU'RE A LIAR WRIGHT! HOW COULD I EVER TRUS-"**

Blinded by tears, he misses the crevice. 

(3:53)

' _Huh?'_

Ground wasn't under him anymore.

He sees Tim turning with shock as he slips down, down, down beneath the road, limbs tumbling in the darkness. The more he falls, the clearer a white dot becomes in the distance.

He sees the woman from his dream in the reflection. Time is slowed. He stares into the same sad eyes wide with shock as his nose touches the water with a small ripple - and then the weight comes crashing back within seconds.

He's almost knocked out hitting the water, head fuzzy and throbbing and he needs to cough.

When he struggles to kick he can't swim. The black consumes and tightens around his lungs in an oppressing force, his clothes sink him like mud in a swamp. When was he not able to swim? He had been great at swimming!

It was so cold here in this paradoxical universe. His lungs cry for air that he can't give to them. There were things around him - He doesn't know what things but some creature in the consuming black bumps into him. Another. He curls himself tightly in a ball, sinking like a stone, like a current.

He is forced to gulp in the water - it burns, oh god it burns and he gags and struggles. But then it's quiet, and calm.

' _sss not soo baddd'_

He doesn't remember what he was so worried about.

Who he was.

Who he will be.

It's all soothing silence down here, and for once in his life - his thoughts shut up.

" _Tim?"_ The last bubbles leave him to his asylum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is originally, the scene that started it all - the story branched out from this moment of Jay losing the egg and falling


	51. The Color White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim waits.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> I AM THE SIGN GUARDIAN, GUARDIAN OF THE SIGNS - TRAFFIC QUIVERS BEFORE HIM - FUCK OFF!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would y'all want me to make a youtube playlist for a soundtrack? I like listening to music when I write these so maybe others wanna hear it too idk.
> 
> Ok imma add a soundtrack, I'll link music in some parts where it inspired me to write that scene
> 
> Bad News Today: Adam Rosner sucks and we're adopting the characters now  
> Good News: I just learned Jay is confirmed canonically gay and I'm literally crying I'm so happy for this representation 😭

[(Angel's Egg Main Theme](https://youtu.be/0Fsb1OBpCN0))

 _"No no no no no no-'_ He reaches the crevice in the road.

"JAY!" Bubbles pop at the surface. Brian saw what happened and is running toward Tim as fast as possible.

 _'Fuck it.'_ He lets himself fall forward into the hole, but when he hits the water, he only sinks up to his thighs.

' _Calm Down Calm Down Calm down! He's done this before. He teleports in the water … I think?'_ He sloshes around the narrow pool and finds nothing.

"Jay!" It echoes with his splashing. He runs his hand along the bottom, trying to pick anything out from rough edges that cut his palms up.

' _Where did he go? Shit! Was he going to come back? Maybe … maybe he's so angry he'll never come back …'_

Brian stares hopelessly down at Tim, and then bolts off to get help.

Despite their quick response time, it would never be fast enough. An off brand firetruck lowers a crew down into the crevice, lighting the cavernous area up with spotlights, and flashing their beams into the water.

Someone stands with a temperature camera, but there are no heat signatures besides their own. Some old, pot bellied guy in pajamas and a 'fire police' reflective vest stands there with a 'slow' sign in hand despite the non-existence of traffic. _(Well it's not like they were going to fire a volunteer.)_

Meanwhile, Tim sits on the surface, face locked behind elbows. Brian tries repeatedly to pull his limbs away, but he's solid. A few people have taken notice of the commotion.

"Tim? Hey - can you hear me man?" Kevin asks, to no avail. He joins Brian and rubs his back. Tim is a silent unmoving stone, but he does not push them away either.

"Hey!? What the fuck happened to Jay!?" It's Evan.

"I think he fell - down there…" Kevin points.

"Are you serious? How? He had powers and shit-"

"Yes Evan, there's water down there, genius idea." The Devil says over their shoulder.

"Excuse me!"

"What?"

"You should fix the fucking pot holes is what!? Are you kidding me this place is a fucking hazard this was bound to happen!" He throws his hands up.

"IT CAN'T BE FIXED." The Devil's head crack and turns all the way around. "SO SHUT UP!" Vinny pulls Evan back from continuing the argument. 

"Seriously guys … I don't think any of this is helping …" Kevin pipes in. 

Some offer condolences, others hopes and theories, until the news has fully spread and they dissipate to let the Firefighters work. 

Tim hasn't budged all this time.

The Devil appears over his shoulder like an insult to injury.

" _I don't know what he's up to - but don't give up, I'm sure he'll return_." It's probably the most sincere statement they've ever made.

Their Chief calls a wrap up by sunrise. There is nothing they can do but wait. The crevice isn't connected to any others, every inch of the small pit of water was searched. No magical doorways were left behind either. He'd vanished into thin water.

Kevin stays until he has to go check on someone.

Brian sits off to the side waiting with Tim, until even he says that they need to go inside and get some rest. Tim refuses his pulls. So he wraps Tim with a blanket, and heads back to their little home - checking up on him every so often.

It pisses Tim off - it's like Brian gave up hope before it started. But then again, he might be right.

He sits in vigil all through the early morning, the daylight, the evening, until the sun begins to rise with the next day burning his exhaustion burnt eyes.

It's not until then, that he knows.

_Jay isn't coming back this time._

He sniffles, then breaks and he cries. He's heartbroken, exhausted, lost, so many things and it washes out in shaking sobs.

"Hey Tim … that's your name right? Do you want me to walk you home?" He looks up to see the face of Kevin.

"No- no thanks … I got it."

He pushes to his feet, walking away pitifully after his meltdown. But he doesn't head back.

He walks with his eyes closed - it's ridiculous really - but he thinks maybe he can pick up some kind of … "magical thread." That might lead him to Jay. Maybe there is, or it's just his imagination, but he follows the wind and smell of rain and sulfur. His eyes are heavy, and rise slowly, standing at the top of the stairs of the temple from before. This time he takes the steps, one at a time. Fossils of sea creatures and animals scour the walls, he runs a hand against them and feels an old connection there. Something lost and forgotten. Blue and ancient. A daunting reminder of the passage of time. 

([Memories of Water - Angel's Egg](https://youtu.be/oEYS9d-t6sw))

This time, when he reaches the tall corridor, he's met with a crystalline square of moonlit water. He goes down a few steps, sitting on the stairs at the edge of the precipice. Stalactites go dripping, one by one, into the pure pool. He closes his eyes, exhaustion reaching him, only for a fraction-less second, and when he opens, he's stiff, frozen, can only watch ahead as a white light breaks the surface in slow wakes.

A person, with glowing white skin and hair.

 _'Jay!'_ He wants to shout, rush over to him, to beg for forgiveness.

His body is bare and thin, beaming like the moon, his hair grown out and weighed down with the water, white tendrils flowing behind him as he moves.

" _Tim."_ His voice - silk, ethereal, wading over, knee deep in the water. _"Tim would you love me?"_ Closer now, lifting Tim's stunned face to gaze into depthless eyes that bore into his soul and swallows him into the ocean, cold suffocation. Two warm hands cradling his face.

" _Would you accept all of me? I will give it to you. All of it."_ He was able to move a tiny bit, swallowing nervously as his cheeks dust pink. 

" _Don't lie to me this time."_

" _Yes. I love you."_ He mumbles. 

" _Good."_ He is right in his face, leaning forward. Gleaming lips. _So close._

**_POW._ **

Jay freezes up this time, and Tim is finally able to move. The white skin of his abdomen is shot through, staining brightly in violent red, trickling down, dying the pristine water a horrible crimson shade. He falls back, eyes sinking and dull. Tim catches him, holding him up out of the cold.

" _Jay!"_ It comes out in a whistle - an agonized croak - his throat tightened. He shakes him, but the blood runs in small rivulets down his skin, mixing with water droplets and slinking between Tim's fingers trying to hold it in. Humans don't bleed this much. Does it matter? No. Not when the water shines red with Jay's blood and soaks into his clothes. And there's not a thing he can think of doing for this.

He blinks his eyes open to a still fountain. No red. No Jay. Just himself - alone, Waterfalls traveling down his face.

A phone rings - impossible.

It echoes again in the cavern, and he debates internally - following the noise to see, indeed, an old black rotary phone sitting in an ornate wooden table Before the last ring could end, he picks it up listening.

A recorded message plays.

"This is The White Door Mental Health and Fishing Facility. We received this as the home address for Jay Merrick. We are calling to tell whomever it may concern that Mr. Merrick is currently residing with us in our care. If you are family and would like to visit call +31202443854 Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm to schedule an appointment or look for your nearest **white door**. Thank you. _Click._ "

The first thing that comes to mind is _'Totheark…'_ But that culprit has already been unearthed.

He's probably hallucinating all of this - he needs to leave this place. It is too old and foreboding for him.

But as he makes for the exit, in his way stands a wooden door. 

An oddly, intact, pastel white door - someone has been here recently enough for it to be this clean. Trembling fingers grab the metal knob. He twists and it gives. He opens it passing into -

.

.

.

" _Good morning Mr. Wright. How are you feeling today?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to add the old fire police guy - if you don't know what they are they're just these old retired folk who direct traffic or provide emergency medical treatment when there's an emergency, like a car accident or a fallen lamppost or fire or whatever hellish catastrophe is going on that the police are like "ehhhh let the Firefighters handle that one" so we got our OWN traffic directors cus the police department takes FOREVER and they SUCK AT IT. LOSERS. Anyways - They got these little light sticks and wave them around all happy just loving life. Met someone who mixed them up with the popo "shoot first ask questions later" police, and no, it's a vastly different occupation. They're kinda like the crossing guards you may have had at your elementary school, with the aggressive handheld STOP sign. Literally almost never seen someone so happy to do an unpaid job. "I'M HELPING GUYS I GOT A SLOW DOWN SIGN YAYYYY!"  
> One of them I've worked with before is literally the town's "leprechaun" mascot because of how he looks and dresses and he's become sort of an icon at accident scenes. The leprechaun has your back bishes.
> 
> Also the number is real and as far as I know still works - spoookkkkyyy


	52. Hidden in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica braves the woods. She's not alone.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Rule #1 of sisters is to always baby your little brother no matter how old he is to inflict pure torture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL EVER WALKED AROUND IN A FOREST MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IT'S A HELL NO FROM ME  
> Next chapter should be super long.

_[(Forest Edge](https://youtu.be/_FJIH0Yi2Mk)) _

_Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz._

Plenty of noise - but still no man demons. The crickets are still playing their violins. Jessica wonders what they think of Rosswood? What have they seen?

She walks down a barely visible path, towards what she hopes is the drainage tunnel. But there are no signs yet. Just the near pitch black and slight gray light pushing through the trees. It's slow going not to trip - she listens very carefully to the wildlife - no changes yet.

There is a rustle ahead. She stops in her tracks, crouching on the edge of the path in the dirt and rocks and roots.

Whatever it is comes towards her, running off the sounds she was making prior.

It's not until the sounds get uncomfortably close that she crashes through the underbrush, but she can hear the quiet boot-falls of a pursuer and she stops behind the trunk of a weirdly angled fallen tree. Whoever, or whatever it was, doesn't make any noise to indicate being winded.

Well, she'll just have to be quieter. She points her chin to the sky, breathing without a sound. 

This human, or this thing, circles the area, a quiet and deadly aura waiting to strike.

Maybe it's another corrupted soul … or some other crazy demonic thing. 

But she has these sick ass powers - right. She's not going to let them get the first swing.

Her forearms gently crackle like icebergs as they turn to solid stone, still shining in the dim light.

She raises her shields. _Ready._

As she swings at the presumed demon, they turn and meet her blow with a hatchet, finally squinting in the dark, she can make out the glint of goggles and striped sleeves.

"Toby! You're alright! Oh thank God!" She starts shaking his shoulders.

"Uh~uh~uh~uh" he gargles as he's rocked back and forth. "My brains are gonna jelly if you keep doing that."

"Sorry…" She holds her hands up with the apology.

"Are _you_ ok?" Toby asks.

"Y-yeah! I mean I am now - well as okay as anyone can be in Rosswood - Toby what happened back there? Are you alright - ok stupid question you're probably not."

"Wh-whi-ch answer do I g-give first?"

"Oh uh … sorry, I guess … what happened?"

"I … thought about what you said … maybe it's not the best decision to go by myself…" She searches his face for a moment, and then pulls him in with a death grip hug.

"Oh you've changed so much!" She rubs circles into his back. "I'm so proud of you!"

" _Yayyyy."_ Toby murmurs into her shoulder. Hugs are nice. He's missed them for who knows how many years. Jessica only realizes now really that he's a few inches taller than her, but his slouched, crouching appearance always made him appear the smaller of the two.

"I was nearly certain I wasn't going to see you again, idiot." She ruffles the unruly mess of hair on the … hopefully former serial killer's head, some bunched under the goggles.

"Sttttoooppp I'm not a babbbyyyyy!" He groans, reaching the limit on this treatment.

"Which means I have to torture you like one."

It's only then they notice the forest life going deadly quiet.

" _Get down_." Toby orders.

[(The Operator - Scorpius Music](https://youtu.be/MRyHafhKGio))

" _He's here…_ " Face indeterminate behind orange.

She isn't going to be afraid anymore, but the forest goes silent and thick with curling fear. It slithers around the trees and searches for them. Toby stands a few meters away, against a tree trunk.

This is a distinctive, uncontrolled fear, more powerful than she's ever known. 

"This is how … he does it … makes you fear … even if there's nothing to be afraid of…"

"Mmhmm." She looks through the trees. He's nowhere near them yet.

"That's … odd…" Toby mumbles, palm pressed against the tree as he thinks.

"He usually sends a mirage - a fake out … but he's really here this time…"

"What does he want so badly from us?"

"I don't know … but he probably senses that his link to me is gone … but why …" Toby mumbles off to himself.

" _Why the hell would he come himself? It doesn't make sense … if he wants me disposed of he could just send a fake…"_

"He - it's probably up to something…" Jessica turns to face him. "Whatever it is we need to get out of these woods…"

"I don't think we can… he's not gonna let us go this time…"

"Oh…" she breathes. Besides - the outside world was probably shaking to high hell.

**_'Tøßïås_** _._ ' 

It's loud and deep and hidden somewhere far into her head, and like a vice closing around her heart.

_Did. Did it just … speak?_

A horribly quiet and monotone voice, almost gentle and alluring, but she knows better. She doesn't feel the buzzing though, the longer she waits.

"He's not close to us …" she mumbles.

"He's trying to root us out…" 

"Don't run off, you can't fight him."

" _I know."_ Toby gives a smile, before pulling up the mouth guard.

" _We'll stay put … for now."_

So they do. Waiting still in baited silence. The creature knows they're in his realm - but he cannot pick them up at all.

He'll just have to do this _manually._

Toby's eyes widen impossibly more as an ill-fully familiar smiling mask appears behind Jessica. He makes a move with his axe to throw, but he's moving to slow. ' _Right_. _Swain makes things slow_.' He's going to be too late - can see it, can feel it. Jessica's head whirls in slow motion at the presence over her shoulder.

And then - it shifts.

Jessica smoothes her hand out on a marble dais, patterned and colored with mandela's and beautiful carvings. Toby hand still shoots for his weapon, but stops when he sees.

Sunlight pours in through a canopy of green fern-like leaves, the sound of birds and flowing water in the distance.

" _You're in a space of your subconscious mind. You're safe for now."_

That's a new voice neither of them have heard. It's heavily gravely and almost angry, if not strained. It sounds painful.

" _But he will figure it out eventually… be prepared."_

"Who's that?" Jessica asks.

"No idea …"

Jessica's eyes search the golden room until she sees the movement of fingers sliding away behind a wall.

"H-hey! Come back!" 

_"Don't chase them dear … our host doesn't want to be seen … we should at least return the kind favor."_ She hears in her skull.

_'Aietidal? Where are we?'_

_"As he said. A form of your subconscious mind. This is the power of the Hierophant._ "

_'Hooray more terminology.'_

She turns to Toby who's marveling at the detailed patterns in the floor.

_"Now what?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder who that Hierophant is 😏
> 
> Going back and editing all the previous chapters to add music and make them present tense cus I noticed I keep switching between the two.
> 
> I could honest to god right a whole spin off of these two facing the bullshit of the world. Toby's a lot similar to my brother in personality ways and disorders so that's kind of how I've been writing him. Though I'm going to pray my brother never murders anyone please jesus.


	53. The White Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please stick to our program.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Tim either tripping or had a lobotomy. Both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight and minor spoilers for the actions in the White Door game.
> 
> Really good game I highly recommend, not too long either but not short either. Calming and relaxing too.

[(Day One - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/eo2inmakyf8)

**Day 1**

His eyes peel open. Seven am. Tim is confused, but what is there to be confused about? He eats his breakfast. He washes up, deep bags and scruff on his face. He flushes the toilet, the only thing that isn't a blank white in this room. Everything is pale white. And that is completely normal. He opens the window blind. Gray and white. That's all there is - except for a robin that sits in his windowsill. It is the only color in the outside world. A red gray and brown. 

"Hi bird…." Whatever.

He rings the bell at eleven am. A nurse walks in.

"Hello Mr. Wright, I see you're awake! You might be a bit confused, you had an accident. What do you remember?"

"I … uh."

"Do you know your first name?"

The cogs in his brain churn.

"Tim…." 

"Do you know the year we're in?" His eyes flicker over to a calendar on the wall.

"2014…"

"And the date?"

"August … 14th?"

"Thank you Tim, I will check on you tomorrow, please stick with the program."

"Wait what accident-" But they'd already left, door locked behind them.

He sits around on the bed for exactly four hours - staring at his hands. They sure are strange, all with their little wrinkles and hairs, and moles, and the slight ridges from his bones and veins. He thinks maybe it could be a mountain range for whatever microscopic organism lives there. Bumps like mountains, cracks like river valleys, hairs like trees, nails like a large glacial plate, slowly moving and growing out. Shoot, maybe the earth is like this too. The caves and waterways under the earth are just its own veins. It's dirt and rocks it's skin. It's water … what would water be … it's eyes? It's mouth? He isn't sure ...but the earth would have to have pretty big eyes. Maybe the earth was just a big ass eyeball. Huh. Weird.

Three pm. Memory Training.

He turns on the old computer at the table - it displays him a simple game of matching objects to words. 

Donut. Circle shape. Tree. Tree shape.

Some time of doing this later, he's brought back to attention by the door bursting open with a dinner cart. Spaghetti, cola, and a pill that looks like Prozac. He sniffs it. 

_'That's not Prozac'_ he thinks. He puts it in his mouth, taking a sip of soda. He has to figure out how to get rid of this thing. He feigns disgust at the taste and goes to brush his teeth. He spits out toothpaste along with the pill, draining it quickly. He hopes it works. He rinses his mouth more and returns to his spaghetti, which is actually quite delicious. 

After dinner is exercise. He lifts weights. To the count of a very slow ten. And when he grows tired of this, he climbs into bed. He doesn't remember much of the day - but does recall spitting the pill down the drain. He isn't sure why he'd done it. Hmm. Weird. That's probably why he's here.

\---

[(The Break-Up - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/rwvqJvAESAo)

**The Dream**

He's at some dingy diner with Jay. They'd decided they couldn't handle fast food this morning and wanted pancakes or eggs AT LEAST. He sits across from him in the booth, eyes blinking to try and stay awake, loosely holding his menu.

"If you take off your jacket you might not fall asleep as easily." Tim says dryly.

"W-what?" He jumps. "Oh." But his eyes start drooping again. _Cute_.

"You know you can sleep in the car Jay, just get something to eat first."

"I already know what I want…"

Eventually the waitress returns and they each order.

It's not until they get their food that they speak again, Jay slowly nodding off as Tim looks at an incoherent paper.

He has his head laying on the table, shoveling food in his mouth from a strange angle.

"Jay sit up like an adult - the tables sticky."

"Don't tell me what to do - I can do what I want …" He puffs, eating more.

"Whatever." His lips twitch, an almost smile. But not quite there yet.

"Hey Tim …" He says through a mouthful of pancakes, syrup dribbling down his chin.

"Jay you got syrup running down your mouth - here." He reaches forward like a mother bird and dabs a napkin at the sticky liquid. When he pulls away.

It's **red.**

As he stares at the napkin, Jay sits up straight, with his hands folded on the table.

"You should talk to me … I thought we were going to talk to each other."

"I … I want to … but you're not all -" He reaches a hand out, brushing through Jay's form. "There. You're not you Jay."

"I know. I want to get back to you. I really do. But I'm just out of reach. Just like you were." He takes his hand off the wound on his stomach.

"It's not your fault Tim … please don't blame yourself when I'm gone…"

 _Oh. This_ was different then the other dreams. Usually it was him, Alex, Brian, screaming at him like loud sirens. It's just quiet now.

"Please don't go…" He whispers.

"You know I have too."

"Why do you have too…"

"Because I'm really tired … and cold." Tim stands, stepping over and scooting into the booth next to Jay, not caring that blood was dripping onto the tile floor - or the extremely robotic, indifferent staff. He tugs his arm from his jacket, pulling Jay in and wrapping around his shoulder.

"You're nicely warm…"

"You're terribly cool…"

"You know I already loved you … before Tim … back during the movie shoot. You were so …Handsome, and funny in a dark way - and you could always go toe to toe with Alex. But when you felt like it you could be a real gentleman. And you we're so adorably shy when you talked to me. Just as shy as me. God I wanted to kiss you so badly all the time - I was never brave enough to do so. If only I knew we'd be in this mess…"

"Jay … hey it's ok, rest against me."

"Hmm?"

"Do you still … feel that way?"

Jay's mouth moves, but it is not his voice.

"Sir? Sir! Sir wake up you're having a nightmare!"

He blinks awake with wires and E.E.G.s hooked up to him and he freaks.

"NO! Not this again, get away!" He pulls the sticky pads off like wax paper as the same nurse from before looks at him with a sadness.

"Tim - I was just trying to help you - really - I didn't want it to go bad like that-." She says as he storms by.

He curls up in the corner crying - alerting the rest of staff to something wrong, as they come striding in in blue and white gowns and head scarfs.

"This .. this can't be real - no I know he was real! I - I! He said he was real!"

A doctor is talking to him.

"Sir, can you hear me sir? It's alright Mr. Wright. You had a night terror. You're here now."

"I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!"

He shouts, fist smacking the wall. The doctor says "I don't think the medication worked …"

"WHY AM I HERE? LET ME THE FUCK OUT!"

"Mr. Wright please calm down or we will have to use necessary force."

"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" He shrivels, shaking against the wall.

Shadows fall over him and he kicks more when the needle comes into view.

He sees the nurse over their shoulder, bright strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes. She looks the most genuine of them all.

The drug hits, and he forgets everything.

\---

[Day Two - Victor Butzelaar](https://youtu.be/b-Y1EhRSDV0)

**Day 2**

His eyes peel open. Seven am. Tim feels tired, but what is there to be tired about?

He eats his breakfast. He washes his face. He looks out the window for the bird. Instead he finds a man staring at him, who slinks away when noticed. Oh well. He pulls the blinds back down.

He rings the bell at eleven am. The nurse walks in.

"Good morning Tim. How did you sleep last night."

"Like a rock."

"Good! It's time for your daily checkup. How old are you?"

"25…"

"Where was the cafe you ate at with Jay?"

"I … who?"

"It's ok if you can't answer. Where did you work before this?"

"I forgot … I was laid off a while back…"

"That's alright, what would you like for dinner?"

"I … chicken noodle soup would be nice … if they have that."

"Of course. Thank you Tim. You're making progress."

He lies on his bed for exactly four hours. He stares and contemplates the ceiling. It's paint lines and ridges. Maybe the ceiling is its own world. With it's valleys and hills and crevices. Or maybe it's like the moon, beaten and dented and floating alone in space. And maybe that one speck of red splattered there is a lake. A rusty lake. Yeah.

Three pm. Memory Training.

He turns on the old computer at the table - it displays him a simple game of picking out the different objects from the others. Which of these things is not like the others?

He finishes just as the door bursts open with a cart of soup. It's minestrone. Not chicken noodle. Whatever. This time he takes the pill in earnest with the soda and soup.

After dinner is exercise. He opens the crate. Ping Pong. He gets ten in a row before he goes to bed. Hmm … that was kind of strange with the window today… whatever.

He goes to sleep.

\---

**The Dream**

He's driving, with Jay in the side seat, melting in the early afternoon heat, burning through the windshield. The wind whips outside the windows, but it still isn't enough to cool them. Tim's pissy because he's always pissy. Jay's pissy because his camcorder is out of tapes. Following the yellow lines to somewhere, green signs and rest stops all passed. 

At one point they get off the highway looking for a gas station in an empty town. It _is_ a Sunday.

They both stare dreadedly at the red light. It's taking _forever_.

Jay looks at Tim in complete and utter boredom. Tim looks back at him. There is a calm stillness there - until there's an interrupting noise that startles both of them. A little old woman with a shall taps at the window sill, asking if they have any quarters for the payphone. So they hand over what little they have.

"Bless you dears." She walks away. The light finally turns green.

They stop at the gas station hoping to at least get a fan or anything to cool them off, more tapes for the camcorder. Nothing is there. They stand in the shade outback by the dumpsters while Tim smokes.

Jay's giving him that look again, and stares at his fingers held up to his mouth. He plucks the cigarette from his mouth before the next inhale. He would've complained, but he's wondering where the hell this is going and stays quiet. Then Jay stops looking at him and tries to put the thing up to his lips - and he chokes coughing.

"Told you so…" Tim snarks.

"*Hack* wh-at the - h-ow do you even tolerate this … Blegh." He spits. He steals the bud back from him.

"I don't. I just don't care anymore."

"Yuck! Can't you get your … fix some way else."

"Maybe, but I don't think you'll like it."

"Hmph." He sulks, shifting his boots around on the pavement.

He stubs out the rest of it once he's had his fill, and they both pace over to the car unenthusiastically.

They're driving for a longer while on the freeway and he's going to go bloody insane from the best and exhaustion of it all. He turns off the radio - sick of the staticy songs picking up.

"Hey wadja' do that for? I liked that song."

"Driver controls the radio."

"Yeah but the driver doesn't get to turn it off."

"Shut up." He's already at his wits end with him.

It's not until a few minutes later that they pull into a deserted shady rest stop to cool off that Jay mumbles "Make me…"

"What did you say?" He threatens.

Jay's head whips around angrily to stare at him.

"I said make me Tim!"

His mouth twists in anger, unsure of what to even say back and unwilling to back down from Jay's angry scowl - which frankly looks hilarious. He doesn't know if he should take the bait - and what the hell is he going to do, hit him? But he still refuses to drop it and turn his head away - until they settle on a staring contest. Jay crosses his arms getting frustrated with the amount of time they're spending staring each other down.

Tim kind of forgets when they stopped staring daggers and started kissing, nor who leaned in first - he thinks they both did. His lips taste faintly of gas station food but that's ok. Jay's brows are still knotted, but Tim feels him smile against his lips with a happy murmur.

They pull back with a sigh.

"Wow…."

"Yeah…."

They're both dorky idiots stargazing at each other, chemicals completely melting away any of the days anger and stress better than any cigarette could.

Tim's brows sag slightly into a begging manner, face turning red, eyes glazing over.

"C-come here…" He whispers and Jay unbuckles, leaning over the center compartment, grabbing his face and kissing him. And he thinks this is probably the best he's felt in years - and that he's definitely going crazy.

Of course the operator shows up then - he can't have them getting along for his plans to work. So instead Tim punches Jay in the cheekbone - he doesn't mean it. But there's only the operator's rage in the other's eyes and Jay hits right back before they both go unconscious. 

They wake up later, Tim wondering when the hell they decided to take a nap here, and Jay saying they probably just forgot.

  
\---

[Day Three - Victor Butzelaar](https://youtu.be/BHIHKd7xyng)

**Day 3**

His eyes peel open. Seven am. Tim feels insecure, but what is there to feel insecure about? He drinks his coffee and orange juice. He doesn't want the donut, as a solid black mouse with glowing white eyes has feasted itself on half of it. He follows the mouse. He washes and shaves his face. He follows the mouse around the room for an hour until it ends up back on his plate and straight up dies on the donut. Gross. He opens the window to see the robin there. He's glad to see him.

He rings the bell at eleven am. The nurse walks in.

"Hi Tim. I hope you slept well. How are you feeling today." 

"Tired." She seems to ignore that and heads on to the next question.

"What's the addictive ingredient in cigarettes?"

"Nicotine…"

"Where is your house located?"

"I don't know … 30 Lake St."

"Where is the gas station you went to Jay with located?"

"The what?"

"Don't worry about it if you can't answer.

"16 Park Rd…"

"What's the emergency code?"

"A what?"

"Check the pager."

On the table - is a pager (wow).

He plays a record, and a familiar yet not familiar voice says '827'.

"827?"

"What would you like for dinner?"

"Umm … French Fries are ok …" She smiles wider.

"It was nice seeing you again. I will keep an eye on you." She leaves.

He sits there for - Wait … isn't there something else he can do? He tries the door and it opens, a line of duck tape pointing him to a larger lounging room several people sit here, quietly eating lunch. He stands in a non-existent line and receives his food. Lobster.

"Hey, come sit with us!" A blonde woman calls gently, patting the bench to her left. 

He sits across from a dirty blonde man, and diagonally from him is a woman with black hair. They eat in silence for another thirty seconds, before Tim thinks he should say something.

"Hi … I'm Tim…" 

"I'm Sarah." The black haired woman keeps her eyes on her food.

"Seth." He gives a small smile and a nod.

"Hi I'm Amy." The blonde woman beams at him

"Where are you guys from?"

"Places … what about you?"

"Places."

He blinks, eating the fancy lobster on his plate. He clenches his fist slowly up to his chin.

"What are we doing here?"

"What?"

"Why are we here?"

Amy attempts to comfort him.

"For our mental health - to get better."

"I don't remember ever checking in."

"No one does, that's why we need to get better."

"But why doesn't a single person here remember anything about themselves!" His voice is beginning to raise.

"Tim." Seth whispers. "They're watching … right now, they don't want you asking those questions."

Then Sarah responds, "Don't act irrational - now's not the time to be the hero Tim - Jay needs you." She smiles like she is having a normal conversation.

Then Amy laughs.

"Yeah, if you want to help the rest of us, you gotta find Jay."

"... H-how … what are you talking-"

"Act normal." 

"Oh."

They all eat some food, Seth smiles and puts his face down towards the plate, pawing around a brussel sprout with his plastic fork. 

"Tim - you don't know this yet, but we're all corrupted. The White Door - is corrupted. But you're still _alive_. You have a chance."

"What … Do I need to do?"

"Go fully corrupted …" Sarah says.

"I thought we were trying to avoid that!" He whisper yells.

"Yes, you want to avoid _our_ corruption." Amy speaks, sipping at a beverage. "At night, they feed off our dead and corrupted souls until we wither away. But you're still alive - they can't control you. This place is meant to cancel our corruption. But you - if you can pull it off, it will send the staff into a frenzy. You can get out. And you will be free."

"But … what about you guys?" 

Seth acts like he is playing rock paper scissors with Sarah.

"We will escape and become corrupted again, and likely forget any of this ever happened. But we can be saved - later. Alex will know what to do."

_'Alex.'_

"Alex? Where's - where's Alex? Is he ali-"

"SHHHH!" they all shush him.

"The past …" Seth starts.

"Isn't real…" Sarah says next.

Amy lays a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not even past."

".... Oh … kay…"

He takes the rest of his food back to his room, and liking around inside the shell, he finds a key. He's not quite certain what it's for, but he slips it into his blanket through a ripped seam. 

Three pm. Memory training. He completes his task by mapping out the room correctly. 

His fries come for dinner. They are pale white, like everything else. He pours out the entire bottle of salt onto the fries. He finishes. That was salty.

Recreation Time. He plays dominoes.

\---

**The Dream**

He sees Alex, laughing next to Brian as they hit random buttons on the keyboard in the dark bedroom. Tim immediately starts crying.

"Hey - Tim what's wrong?" Brian says, padding over.

"Do you want me to get a glass of water Tim?" He hears Alex ask. When they're both close enough - he grabs them.

" _I'm sorry …"_ he breaks down " _I didn't want to_ _… I didn't want to…"_

 _"_ Want to what?" Alex inquires.

"Hey, Tim it's ok bud we're right here." Brian turns to Alex. "Maybe he could use a glass of water for the pills … I think he's about to have a seizure - maybe get some toast too?"

"Sure-" Alex wanders down the hall.

"We're right here Tim…" Brian rubs circles into his shoulder.

"When did it start Brian?"

"When did what?" Brian giggles.

"When did it come to you?"

Brian goes cold. "What ... do you mean …"

"The tall faceless thing. You know exactly what I mean." - Alex is in the doorway and drops the glass of water.

"Alex - Alex when did it start!?"

"I … _I don't know- I don't_ -"

"Yes you do!"

"A … couple months … before I met you. I'm not even sure when I started paying attention… I just thought I was imagining things from sleep deprivation…"

" _2 weeks ago …"_ Brian whispers. "I-I-I" he starts shaking. "I thought I was seeing things…"

"Tim what's going on with that thing - what is it…?" Alex demands.

"Where's Jay-" Tim suddenly jolts with a bad feeling.

"I - Jay went home a while ago Tim, needed some rest..."

"Get him on the phone, right now."

"He's probably asleep-"

"Bull, he sits up to one am watching cat videos - put him on the phone."

"Do you want me to like … give him your number?"

"No we need to talk to him RIGHT NOW."

So Alex actually listens to him - and barely a second after he presses the buttons in does the other side pick up.

There's breathing, loud and hagard. Alex puts him on speaker.

"Jay? I'm putting you on speaker, we've got something to talk to you about."

"Oh I _know_ you do, Alex - but we? I'm flattered."

It's Jay's voice over the line but it's still _not Jay's voice_ , double edged and warbly more than it should be, even with a bad connection.

"Jay where are you right now are you ok?" Tim buts in despite. There's a terrible cough, like Jay is being strangled, gasping and rasping for air. Alex presses the phone to his ear.

"Jay? Jay! Answer us are you ok do you need me to call-" 

"HUHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAAA! Always gets them…"

"Jay this isn't time for jokes Tim and I and Brian really need to talk to you!"

Brian takes the phone from him, setting it on the ground, getting Alex to sit down.

"Jay … it's me Brian, do you need help?"

"OH YEAH RIGHT - ok let's get help from Brian. Good old run around the woods in a shitty goth costume Brian because he got scared by a wittle angel wahhhh - Yeah you're help is about as good at horse shit."

"It's not him …" Tim murmurs, "That's not Jay."

"Oh Tim, Tim, Tim, dear Tim. Liar of the century! Did you have fun _betraying_ your friends' trust over and over and over, didja get it out of your system?"

"I learned my lesson you coward…" He growls, and there is a defeated sigh on the end.

"You really can't stay out of my shit can you Tim? If it was my decision I'd gut you - no that would be boring as fuck - you've already watched me die a couple times … say how about we make you, watch Jay, watch _you_ die. You ever wonder why he took a bullet for you Tim?"

Alex grabs the phone standing up, "Who is this and what have you done with Jay?"

There is a mocking, cooing laughter on the other end.

"SHOULDN'T YOU BE ASKING YOURSELF THAT, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT SHOT HIM! AHHAAAHAHAHA!!!! SUCH A FRIEND YOU ARE!"

"W-what? I don't even have a gun, how could I!?"

"AHHAAAHAHAHA!!!" It goes on for a while minute as the three stare at one another in baited silence. Until there's a wheezing cough brimming with audible tears.

"A-HA! HA! Tim! I think I've lost my fucking mind! Can't even tell who I am half the time AHAHAHHA! I THINK I'M DEAD!" The laughter hurts - because Jay doesn't sound like that - broken and deranged like some supervillain.

Brian clutches his head, "What's going on!?"

Tim remembers.

That's right.

Alex is dead.

Brian can't talk.

And Jay is ...

"Wake up Tim. You have to wake up Tim."

The next thing he feels is the tell-tale sticky pads on his body, and an oxygen tube in his nose. And something warm on his forehead.

He grabs the wrist of the connected hand.

"Who are you?" 

The woman wears a neutral expression.

"A nurse, a friend … but I don't think you're supposed to be here, aren't you?"

"The dreams I'm having …"

"Yes - the doctors are trying to prevent your dreams. They're trying to make you forget."

"Forget what?"

"I'm not sure … I think only you can find out … I'll try to impede them, but in the end, it's you who has to break out."

"I still don't know who you are…"

"A friend, from Rusty Lake."

"Where's …. Where's Jay - where's Brian?"

"Tim … they passed months ago. You had an accident … you tried to commit suicide with a gun … but you lived, somehow. Your mind hasn't been all there, due to the brain damage. This is the most you've remembered since you woke up…"

"W-what? No that's not … Alqamar?" He calls out.

"Alqamar we believe is an extension caused by disassociation. He's not a real person though, just a voice."

"No - no you're lying! You just said you were from … somewhere, and you were going to break me out!?"

"You really heard me say those things? What did I say Tim?"

"No don't talk to me like I'm some crazy fuck! I know your methods! I know the difference between my schizophrenia and your bullshit."

"Tim - calm down." She lays a firm hand on his shoulder, pushing him down into the bed.

"Like I said … the extent of damage done to your brain is unknown, but we're making progress." His face drops, and he sinks into the bed.

"Does that mean … it's all fake?"

"What is fake Tim? You can tell me."

"The ark … they're really gone … but what about … Amy, and Seth, and Amy … I met them."

"I know you met them Tim, but the truth is, no one else has. They are real only in your mind. Though the staff was puzzled how you simply walked out of your room, they decided to observe your behavior rather than stop you."

"I … I don't …"

"It's a lot to process Tim, and you need your rest. I can give you a sedative tonight and you can talk about it with the doctors when you wake up, ok?"

"Yeah … ok…"

He doesn't want to think about it. Doesn't want to feel.

"Little pinch." He doesn't struggle against the needle, nor the kick of the drugs after a while. He knows once they work he will remember nothing of this night.

He wishes he could forget everything.

He holds on to his consciousness as it slips, whispering drowsy apologies to Amy, Seth, Sarah, Alex, Jessica, Brian, and Jay, and all the people he met wondering if they were even real somewhere before. Was Kevin real? Was The Devil real? He doesn't want to think anymore.

And so.

He doesn't.

_"Does it stop here?_ _Get **up** Timothy."_

He surges.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another part I've waited so long to share, I've had this saved back from around chapter 3 was starting.


	54. Nachtkrapp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim refuses to conform.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Tim's mostly angry that he keeps getting cockblocked in his dreams.  
> "Wait till you see my final form! REEEEEEEEE!"

**[(Day Four - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/vLRnIQz-vyU) **

**Day 4**

_Oh. Now he's angry_.

His eyes shoot open. Seven am. Tim has had enough of this. He eats his breakfast scowling, he washes up his face, noticing particular splatters of blood there. He doesn't know what happened but he knows what he must do. He goes to the window, watching the robin taking shelter from the rain.

_'I want to be free like him.'_

He rings the bell at eleven am. The nurse walks in.

_'Play along.'_

"Hi Tim. I'm happy to see you. What is your client number?" Straight to the point.

"H1931RL."

"What day did Jay die?"

"There was no exact date. Time was a paradox."

"Again … sorry for your loss. I have one last question. Do you want to stay here?"

Should he tell the truth? Should he lie? Should he just not answer?"

"...No. I don't want to be here." 

She nods in affirmation, giving him a serious gaze.

_"Remember, I'm here to help you."_

He does not sit on the bed. Instead - it's time for some trouble making. He scans over the room, scrutinizing every detail, looking for flaws and weak spots in the walls and furniture - anything he can use. He will escape tonight.

Three pm. He completes his memory training. More matching. At six his dinner rolls in - it is nothing but a Bloody Mary cocktail and another pill. They're trying to get him drunk while medicated. He takes the pill - they don't affect him anymore. He takes the beverage in mouth, tasting the flavors, then spits it out in the sink, washing it down. It is the only color in this pale white hell. He does however eat the lemon slice and celery stick. 

Time for recreation. He opens the box and -

Blueprints, sheets of them, detailing the room and it's secret buttons and alarms. _'Did …Did she put these here_?'

He finds if he flushes the toilet a certain amount of times, the to will unlock, and sure enough it does just as the blueprints say. He floods the toilet, water spilling out onto the white floors and triggering the water alarm. Finally the room turns red - a different color.

A doctor bursts in.

"Mr. Wright, what are you doing? Be careful with the interior. Behave Mr. Wright. Please stick to the routine." He storms out.

 _'Yeah right._ ' 

The second step - he can override the call button. He uses the black key he found as a screwdriver to wedge the screws off the panel. He messes up the wiring, triggering the electric alarm.

The doctor bursts in.

"Mr. Wright. Stay calm. This is your last warning. Do not make me come back."

_'Oh you're going to come back buddy.'_

The third step - an override of the memory training computer.

He follows the button instructions, accessing the patient database, and the emails of the doctors.

He clicks one named H. Lee, and types in the given password.

Three messages.

Operation Wright

Incident

Cabinet Access

He reads the first.

"Dear Dr. Lee, I hope everything is in place for tonight's operation. Connect Mr. Wright's mind and make sure he does not wake up. You know the drill. - The Manager." 

He gulps … "the manager" sounds an awful lot like "the operator".

He reads the second.

"Dear Mr. Lee, I am aware of the incident that occurred last night. Fortunately, the memories did not become corrupted. A 'patient' waking up during the dream can ruin the whole operation. Mr. Wright is of utmost importance to me. Be cautious, make sure the operation goes flawless next time. The Manager."

Yeah that sounds suspicious.

The last message contains only a picture of the lock combination, just sent now - _"Thanks nurse_." 

He unlocks the cabinet hastily to find -

He can't quite describe it, thousands of wires running here and there and crisscrossing, along with an old television screen.

 _"Despicable."_ Alqamar says, guiding his hands to work the machinery until the screen buzzes to life.

He sees himself - and Jay, screen splitting and glitching. He sees Alex and Brian and all the rest - footage of Marble Hornets. The operator and more footage that he's never seen before, others perspectives.

"What is this?" He asks, more the air than the thing in his brain.

The room flashes red, the doctor bursts in.

"Mr. Wright. You have crossed the line. You leave me no choice. I will have to sedate you. Please count to three."

He obeys, giving up his vein willingly and counting. He falls unceremoniously to the floor.

"Strange … it shouldn't work that fast … must be the alcohol." The doctor mutters.

\---

[(The Lady of The Lake - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/0qxDigYbyqs)

**The Dream**

He's at a college masquerade with Brian, dancing with his friend who is drunk to tears, laughing and crashing into people as he swirls around.

"Brian you're running into people!"

"They're having fun!"

He decides to leave Brian to his antics, shuffling through the claustrophobic cloud.

He spots a deep azul, and follows it to see speckled of white and black - a feathered mask, like a blue Jay. His mask is a boring raven feathered thing he got last minute, as Brian insisted he come. Jay is quiet and open, so he gravitates toward him.

"Hey …"

"Huh, Blue Jay mask, clever."

"Stop…" he rolls his eyes, but can't avoid the smile.

"I'm serious, it looks … awesome." He twitches a strange smile-frown back at him.

"Thanks. I really didn't want to go - Alex dragged me here."

"Brian dragged _me_ here."

"Guess we're in the same boat then …"

"I don't know who brought the alcohol but there sure is a lot of drinking going on around here." 

"Yeah - Alex is trying to figure that out right now - he thinks it's irresponsible."

"Hmph." 

He stands in comfortable silence with Jay, a little bubble away from the claustrophobic world around them. But he keeps darting his eyes back to Jay's mask - in one glance it turns into a white and black plastic and Tim gasps, whirling back - only to see the Blue Jay feathers.

"Y'all right?

"Yeah - Yeah." He reaches a hand to pat on Jay's shoulder.

"I'll be right back."

He slips the mask down further to disguise himself.

[(Khira - Dhafer Youssef)](https://youtu.be/ausD8Z422as)

They have an open mic - of course they do. There's a pull in the floor, attaching to his feet and dragging him to the stage despite his inner protests. He can't stop it, that invisible force in the back of his skull controlling him all the way there.

He doesn't see the crowd or the people, and doesn't even hear when his mouth opens in front of a microphone - a sound he usually hates. There is no escape now.

There is a sweet and quiet tune in his head, sleepy and sad, but growing to the surface.

His lips part.

He sings like his life depends on it. He's hidden behind the mask, but still - he is not the one who sings. It is the other "side" of him, the voice that calls in his head from time to time. It's … woeful, in a language he cannot understand, but the feeling is across. He calls for someone he's missing, someone he's lost, someone he hopes can hear him. A trickling of hope. He makes eye contact with Jay, but his face doesn't change. The song swells into an anguishing cry. He looks at Brian. His face remains the same as well. Whatever this voice is searching for is not there. Does not respond, and it is lonely, calling out like a loon, his head and arms are stuck in position, looking to the ceiling like it was opera, and then it dwindles back in resignation.

Finally he has control and flies back from the microphone windmilling backwards. People clap but he tries to ignore it, passing as fast as he can through the crowd - time to leave.

He tries to disappear, but two soft fingers slide over his wrist, right over his racing pulse. The feeling distracts him enough.

"Tim-"

For the millionth time that night he makes eye contact with Jay. Whatever he's going to say is bulldozed by a certain loud man.

"Tim! Goddammit why didn't you tell me you could sing like that!? I would've put it in the script!" Alex breaks through the crowd like a tree.

"Well uh, I didn't know."

"Liar! You totally knew!" He smiles though.

Brian slams into Alex. "Hey director baby-man!"

"Are you drunk!? Brian! Shame on you!" He tries to push Brian off of his shoulder with a hand squished against his face.

"Ha! Relax Alex - haha! Give me a smooch~" He makes grabby hands at the taller man.

"Stop it you menace to society!" But his face gives away a blush and soon Alex is forced to drag Brian around as he leans on him laughing.

 _'When did it all go wrong_?' He thinks … what? What was that? When what went wrong?

"You good?" Jay asks again.

"Uh yeah - just a weird feeling."

"I hate those. We can wait outside until they decide they've had enough drunk fun…"

"Yeah … ok."

[(Souls to Shades - Dhaffer Youssef)](https://youtu.be/Jw1Y3t1vtzI)

Tim begins walking, and Jay follows right behind him. They sit outside on a bench, watching the moths buzz idly around.

Jay stares at his feet. "You know what's about to happen don't you …"

 _Ah_ \- he remembers now. This is a dream of the past. He is still trapped within The White Door facility. 

"Yeah …"

"Do you wish we could go back? To days like this?"

"... For a while … I think I wanted to … but I don't know anymore. Not knowing … just existing pointlessly. I don't want to do it again."

"Me neither …"

"Are you even the real Jay?"

"In your head I am. Here, I am."

"Then you know what I have to do huh?"

"... Yes."

"Will you still look for me, even then?"

"I won't have to, but when we meet again -" He looks him dead in the eye.

"I won't be Jay. I won't be Alnassik either … I will be no one."

"Then I'll find you … and bring you home." They both look at the street.

"I hope so…"

\---

[(Day Five - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/ZS6DsvN8W4o)

**Day 5**

He awakens in an isolated chamber, only a bed and mirror to look at.

Someone pokes their hand through the door slot.

"You've crossed the line. Enjoy your new room. Don't lose your mind." They jeer. God their face is ugly, he sticks his fingers into their eyes, relishing at the hiss. Ha.

He strides back into the room, stretching his arms, cracking his knuckles and back, and downing a pink juice left for him on the food cart.

Well .. it's time then. He finally goes to face himself in the mirror, staring back at a tired scruffy man, eyes purple underneath.

He is slowly losing to corruption - that isn't him in the mirror anymore. These white rooms appear just the same as he had when he is a child. Except the monster is himself.

He's already made up his mind though, even when he challenges Alqamar, looking back at him in the mirror.

" _You know … I can help you. Foolish boy."_

' _What do you want from me?'_ Tim thinks.

" _Nothing that we both don't want. Let me take control."_

_"No, they'll just drug me, and lock you away."_

_"The drugs they've used - it will take a lot more than it did in the past."_

_'Yeah and you think they don't know that!?'_

_"You underestimate that nurse, exactly what she can do. Stay on her good side - and she will help - but be wary too. If you're too good to her, she may grow too attached… we cannot have that. She is too smart, and she will do what it takes to get her way."_

_'You're saying … make her motivations … The same as mine...'_

_"Yes. See, you can listen when you want too."_

_'I'm only doing this for Jay and Brian … besides, don't you risk this 'corruption' too?'_

_"I do - but if we continue at this rate, we are both doomed."_

He ponders this for a minute.

_"Wait for them to come tonight - we will show them then."_

\---

[The Lost Soul - Victor Butzelaar](https://youtu.be/87ynvaOIhFw)

**The Waking Nightmare**

He's at some stupid … party again. A disco ball decorating the room in crazy lights, people he's never seen before dancing in gaudy sequined clothes. A tall woman with an afro decorated in orange stars boogies up to him. "Come on wanna dance?"

"I would but I can't right now…"

"Ohhhh I get it - the guy you're looking for is right there-" she points to a short, stout man staring cryptically from the corner - a similar face to the guy who's eyes he poked earlier.

"Go beat his ass tiger, we're counting on you." She smiles, winking and dancing off with a man in a horse head mask.

Tim makes a belign for the man in the corner, who tries now to evade him.

A gun goes off.

He touches his head feeling … a hole.

He sees Brian off to the side - dancing slowly by himself, just swaying his arms up and down. And then - his eyes open - jet black. He becomes consumed by moths, turning all black and floating up to the ceiling in the hoard.

What was he doing again?

A stout man is playing the records, dj-ing the club. And then a man jumps over the booth, smashing the record disc.

That man turns and the hole in his brain fades as he recognizes him.

"Remember why you're here Tim!" Seth yells.

"We'll be waiting for you." Sarah says.

"Good luck, we believe in you." Amy beams.

A hand sits on his shoulder.

"I'm counting on you. _Save Jay_." He turns around to see Alex - the old Alex, blue striped jacket and long hair.

"Let's start a riot!" Someone yells.

"Hell yeah!" Drinks smash to the ground and the party-goers seize upon the staff, breaking the mirage one by one.

Tim wakes frozen in a cold sweat. Wires connect to him everywhere, and he can feel the presence of the doctors. He can't move, can't even open his eyes - but he can hear.

"Ah Mr. Wright - I can see by your vital signs you've awoken. You continue to prove our medications ineffective, but as I'm sure you can tell, you're paralyzed for the moment. Do not worry Mr. Wright, just go back to sleep.

But there is a strong pull keeping him awake - The Moon. It's like a white light in the back of his head, preventing him from slumber. And he remembers what he must do.

He's scared - but not as scared as he was when he lost Jay. So this time he listens well as the voice begins.

_"Hate is the key to corruption - they are feeding off of it currently - we must overload their machines and their drugs - and then we will be free."_

' _Alright … so how do we do it?'_

_"I want you to think, and feel the hate in your bones, all of it which came from that place they entrapped you in so long ago. Think of everything that ever smited and took advantage of you in your childhood. All that you remember ever happening to ruin you - Your mother leaving you behind, the dreaded daily life in that filth ridden sanitarium, the needles and the pain and the straps they used to chain you back - the pathetic looks they gave you that said "_ **_monster_ ** _" when you were trapped in your bed screaming._

_Think of that faceless demon, tainting you, ruining your entire life! Killing and taking and torturing all for it's personal gain - that it could crush you like the pitiful human you are - show it your power, show it your hate. You know it's name now - curse it."_

He sees the faceless man clearly in his head.

 _"Think of the hundreds he's done the exact same too, continues to do as he roams free now, victim to victim, sickness to sickness. Show him what_ **_humans can do."_ **The black erupts down his sides, but the pain only pushes him more. He shakes against the drugs' effects.

"Should we stop?" Asks a nurse. "No, continue, the machine can handle it."

" _Remember everything that_ ** _I've_** _done to you - the times I've taken your body without permission, the things you've done under my control, and know it's all because of_ ** _him._** _He let you make friends, let you fall in love, all to rip it away and try to crack and break you down to be his pawn. Everything is because of_ ** _him._** _Think of Brian. The pain and torture he put him through all those years. The crushing loneliness. Is he even himself anymore!? You've seen it in his eyes, the broken spirit of a man. Hear Harut's laughter as he made you push him to his death. He is responsible for death following you. Think of Alex and his stupid fucking college movie that he never got to finish - because he suffered alone and that demon made him blame it on you and everyone else you dared to even speak to. Think of Jay."_ There's a million things he can think about Jay, and a million things Alqamar could say. A million reasons to hate, missing memories and arguments and pain and injury, but he hears none of those, only: 

**"** **_...and all the things you never got to say."_ **

_Ding_.

' _I'm losing my mind.'_

He floats in a void, black moths showering him, before they consume his eyes with the darkness. Black. All black. 

' _I will turn this white hell black with_ **_my_ ** _hell.'_

The hate tears down his skin and he surges forward, staticy hand crushing around the doctor's windpipe.

" **R** A **W** W **W** W **W** W **W** W!!!" He screeches in violent static, shaking the walls and floors and the air itself, his face elongating into a beak, black sticky feathers bursting from his skin and out his back like a lion's mane. His legs grow like a storks and he towers over his captors. He lashes out, and kills everyone in the room with his long sickle-like claws, raking red through the air. The emergency door locks, sealing him in with the victims. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how there's just calm disco music as Tim goes ape shit


	55. A New Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim - more monster than human - takes a walk into the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am near sleep death so if there's any mistakes I can't tell

([Day](https://youtu.be/R2QhQh5pPUw)[ Six](https://youtu.be/R2QhQh5pPUw) **[-](https://youtu.be/R2QhQh5pPUw)**[Victor](https://youtu.be/R2QhQh5pPUw)[ Butzelaar](https://youtu.be/R2QhQh5pPUw))

**Day 6**

The doctors scramble around outside the observation window.

"The patient has broken the machines!" "They should've stopped!" "Who was responsible for this!?"

"The doctor responsible for it is dead!"

Two doctors remain in the window, observing the beast, so large it has to crouch to fit in the room.

"This is … extraordinary… I've never seen a patient capable of … Such measures."

"He must've gotten help - there's no way he did this on his own …"

"He used to be possessed by Alqamar…"

"Yes, but The Moon is dead - he was reported dead by the agent that was sent, along with the others…"

"But what if the agent was wrong?"

"That's becoming more likely by the second…"

The beast tears at the bedding, trying to eat it momentarily before spitting out cotton.

"Tim Wright has always been an extra-ordinary patient…"

"I thought all those associated with Kralie died!?"

"Apparently … not this one…"

"What do we do with him?"

"We could release him…"

"How, we can't even get close to him - the drugs don't work on him no matter how much we increase the dose - and it seems like he _wants_ to stay here." They gesture to the thing, now swallowing the bodies like a giant rat bird, and content-ly curling up on the floor.

They try opening the door hatch later in the day - they have to at least keep the patient alive...

"W-what would you like for dinner sir?"

"E **G** G **G** G **G** G **G** G **G**!!!!!!!"

They jump back - and order 50 boiled eggs delivered to the room. The creature swallows them whole, coughing up the eggshells.

"This corrupted soul … is out of proportions… behind our understanding."

"We should contact the Administrator. He has eyes set on this subject in particular - he'll want to have the update."

"Yeah but … do we really have to go all the way … there?"

"Are you suggesting we _disobey?_ "

"No … I'm just saying he's … scary."

"You are not wrong…"

The door slides open.

"Oh hello Sarah - how's your rounds going?"

"Terrific, I'm seeing some great progress with all of them today."

"That's good news - patient health is our #1 concern."

"Indeed, that's why I _love_ working here."

"Well if you're done with that, you may retire early for the night, we still have some … overtime to work on."

"Of course - I just have to tidy the place up a bit and all be on my way."

"Great!"

"I'm glad you agree." She flicks her sleeve out - a knife slides into her hand.

\---

[(The White Door - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/8s2wHm9puQU)

**The Memory**

Bodies are dropping outside. He can feel it. Hear it. Smell it. He cocks his head in interest at the door. Stalking over to it with a quiver in his throat, eyeing it sideways.

It opens from the outside.

He stares down at a woman - a nurse, smiling at him.

"Good morning Mr. Wright. Let's go for a walk."

She turns her back on him, gliding down the hallway.

He pokes his bird head from the door - then proceeds to gobble down a fallen body like a mouse.

She shows no distaste in it - so he continues following the remaining human prey.

She smiles over her shoulder through orange hair and blue eyes.

"Come on Mr. Wright. Follow me. That's it!"

She leads him down the hall to a room.

"I have something to show you."

He peaks in, and sees his past self laying on the bed.

"Go on. Wake him up."

He has to hunch to get in, but he approaches the sleeping, quivering man.

He lays a sickle claw on his forehead - and the world buzzes into Tv static.

…..

……..

………….

……………….

…………………...

"Timothy! It's time to go sweetie!"

He sighs, getting up from his makeshift fort in the sandbox, running over to his mother.

"Didja have fun?"

"Yeah!"

"Terrific!"

This is definitely his memory - but nothing he's thought about before, or remembered. He barely knew his mother - and she was never like _this._ She abandoned him when his problems became too much to handle. This is some twisted dream.

They get home - and his mother sets her purse on the counter, pulling his shoes off and telling him to go wash up for dinner - tonight apparently was macaroni. Little him couldn't wait.

Tim - he, himself, stands in a doorway, watching his child self run by to the bathroom. He doesn't notice Tim standing there.

He goes into the kitchen - getting a decent look at his mother. He never remembered the face of the one who gave birth to him. That's all she was. A birthgiver.

She stands shorter than Tim, long black hair and pleasantly plump, woman in her forties, smile lines showing with age.

There's a flicker of lights.

And then she turns around staring at him. For a moment, he believes he'd been revealed - but she looks beyond his shoulders - he turns too, to a hulking black mass in the dark living room - the only visible item - his white mask.

Wait … this.

That's _Alqamar_. The real Alqamar.

"It can't be time … already?"

_"It is - we can wait no more. Harut comes to collect his debts. I assume - this is still what you want? You realize - there's no going back. Your life will be over."_

"... Yes … I know. He should be the one to live … I want him to grow up and love and learn and make friends - I'm already past that. I'm content - as long as he can go on."

_"Alright."_

Tim looks over to see his child self standing on the third step.He clings to the stairwell railing. 

"Mom?" He calls.

"Please, take care of him…"

And then, the creature is gone. His younger self convulses passing out.

And then the scenery shifts - he's outside the hospital, his mother kneeling down to his level.

"Timothy - I-"

And then the memory ends, fading like burnt film roll.

"Hey! What was that? Answer me! What did you do!?" He calls to the angel.

 _'I kept you safe enough … day and night spent fighting back Harut from your dwellings… my bones still_ **_ache.'_ ** It's spoken with a harsh click. _'So you see 'The Tim', I have no patience for your trifling human characteristics. I've waited too long for your contention._ "

A rippling black static swallows him.

Tim or not Tim stands once more, returning from the memory, beak growing out.

The nurse stands in front of him though without fear.

She hands him the memory, in the form of a black cube.

"You might wanna hold on to this - at least keep it out of others hands so they can't have your worst memories. Now go - your friends are waiting I'm sure. **_You know what to do._** "

He turns slowly, robotically, swaying a foot forward, as he glides into a field, the sun's orange beams glowing through the trees stands with a new sunrise.

\---

[(Day Seven - Victor Butzelaar)](https://youtu.be/J-9sHH-VdBw)

**Day 7**

Things are strange in his corruption. He doesn't feel anger, nor sadness, nor pain, like he believed would. He's walking across a field in broad daylight - shouldn't someone be concerned? But it's quiet. He knows what he needs to do.

He follows the dirt trail, bird feet stomping tracks away. It leads him through a familiar tunnel - and then, a wooden structure, a few people and cameras and papers and props all situated about.

And there they are. Happy college kids.

He walks up to his former self, just observing in his invisibility. Tim sits across the gazebo staring at Jay with a cigarette in his mouth. Jay tediously furrows his brow flipping through unsorted movie papers.

So, as a prank - he appears to the man briefly, stealing the cigarette away with sharp claws and scaring Tim into flying back against Jay. They roll off the bench and clatter to the wooden floor in a tangle of limbs and paper. They both stare at each other. As the papers sink to the ground. Tim has both his arms on either side of the script supervisors head to prevent landing on the man.

"H-hi." Jay says.

"Hi…" Tim replies.

"What are you guys doing!? I don't need you getting hurt on top of all this!" Alex's yelling snaps them back to reality.

"I'm sorry, I saw … nevermind I'll help you with these papers…"

"It's alright … stuff was stressing me out anyway."

"What isn't today?" Jay snorts at his jab as they pick up page by page.

The monster returns to the path, continuing on into the woods, until he comes upon an out of place house meant for a suburb, not a bog nest.

He walks inside the house and prevents Alex from stabbing Amy by appearing behind her and scaring him off.

He returns out to the brush, pushing through a dense thicket. 

He stops Alex from strangling Seth, once more appearing over his shoulder, before he could even think about harming the other man.

Then further into the woods, he stops Sarah from being shot in the head.

He walks through the drainage pipe into the next realm of Rosswood, making sure that rock guy never met Alex in the first place.

Finally, he comes to the end of the trail.

Benedict Hall.

The last frontier.

The last resort.

He sees himself walking around - and then, of course, Jay. Jay had escaped and was doing the stupidest thing possible in their investigation. He should've just walked right up to Tim! Then again … he probably would've punched Jay...

So when Jay inevitably follows his path into the basement, he follows Jay in the shadows, nothing more than a gust of air. Best to observe for now then to scare him and alert Alex.

He recognizes the spot from the footage - Jay turns away - and that's when Alex steps out with a _'Found you.'_ look.

"Alex… Alex?"

It's when Alex pulls the trigger that Tim stands and towers behind Jay, dark sticky feathers unfurling in menacing size, bullet caught like a tiny pebble. His eyes go wide, and the gun sputters to the floor.

"You … again! What are you!?"

Jay turns around, still processing the fact he almost died - only to look at a giant bird monster staring down at him with white soulless eyes.

He passes out.

Alex fires again. The bullet passes through him.

Alex bolts.

His former self comes running to find Jay, dead knocked out but alive and unscathed. He too looks at the bird monster with fear - but doesn't run on the refusal of leaving Jay. When the monster doesn't charge, he asks.

"W-who are you… what are you… what do you want?" 

He carries Jay towards Tim, letting him slide out of his own hold against Tim.

He leaves Tim and Jay in silence, lumbering back into the woods.

[(The Bird - Victor Butzelaar](https://youtu.be/kgNPmjJlIf8))

Alqamar speaks finally.

_"We are corrupted together - but our minds still remain intact. We must find our way back to reality and your friend to fix our state."_

"Was this real?"

_"Yes and no."_

"Does this … change their fate?"

_"Physically, yes - but they will still remember what happened, and memories are the key to corruption."_

"But they'll be _alive_."

_"Yes."_

"Then …There's a chance."

_"Yes."_

"... Alqamar … that's you're name right?"

_"Yes."_

Tim smiles. "Thank you."

There is a silent pause, and a held breath in the air.

_"J-just … get moving … they need help."_

_"Right."_

He nods - breaching through the tunnel, into the unknown peach and purple skies.


	56. Transmigration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old stranger joins Jessica's mind space.
> 
> Alternative Summary: RUN FOREST RUNNNNN

[(Transmigration - Angels Egg)](https://youtu.be/7YCRR5t2PoY)

It is fear. But a frozen fear, as if you you pressed freeze on a panic attack, but still lingering, still present. Not overwhelming.

He's been under for … a long time. This is death he says. This is death, and somewhere in this pitch black ocean is Alex, and Amy and Seth and Sarah and Jessica, and who knows how many.

His mind has split like the egg.

The water seeps in through one ear, and has washed it out the other.

It takes him an endless amount of time to notice a glowing light above him - sunlight? Down here? Wherever here is?

' _Maybe I'm supposed to go this way?'_ He resolves to calm the fear. He doesn't swim in the direction, but he mentally wills himself to investigate. He's so listless and foggy, the water saps any strength he generates.

He closes his eyes when the light becomes to bright.

"Jay?!?"

_'Who is that? Calling a name … is Jay my name? Am I Jay?'_

He is being shaken. His senses creep back to him - wet and cold is the first thing he notices, lying on his side, but sunlight warms his other shoulder and he grasps for strength.

He thinks someone called his name. So he looks up and stares and stares and stares, blinking one eye at a time. He can faintly register another presence waiting in baited patience. He's trying to focus - trying to think, find his washed out brain. A hand slinks up his torso - his own hand, which he uses to rub the sleep from his eyes - lethargic and heavy.

He continues staring at the person until they come into focus - and Jay Merrick comes crashing back to life.

"Jess - JESSICA!?" He yells incredulously.

"Oh thank god- you didn't even have a pulse!"

"Jessica what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that Jay." She then leaps at him - pulling him into a death tight hug, getting herself wet in the process.

"I'm so sorry Jay - I didn't know you died … Tim never said anything…"

_'Tim didn't … Say anything?'_

_"_ It's - it's ok … I'm ok…"

"Are you? Jay?"

"I … yeah … I'm … alright with it. Where are we?" He looks around at the strange grand hall or a pavillion, walls painted in color and a golden glue. He can't walk yet - so he crawls out of the water pool, over the tiny tiled edge and onto the mosaic floor. 

"I … some dimension of my mind according to uh … people, how did you get here?"

"Don't remember … but I think it was through the water."

"You managed to …Teleport into my mind?"

"I guess … holy shit there's so much you don't know - so many things have happened I - where do I start."

"Let me guess, angel bullshit?"

"Well first I - wait what."

"Angels and crazy dimensions and entities that defy physics? Yes that's been my week generally."

"Oh … I didn't know you got dragged in too…"

"Jay how long have you been gone from the real world?"

"Uh … sometime late 2013 - I can't remember anymore."

She sighs rolling her eyes, "Well that's great. It's August 2014 by the way."

"... Hooray… what's the world like these days?"

"It's-" 

A younger man Jay's never seen before comes running around the corner of an entryway.

"Shits wack! It's falling apart out there! Like shit!"

"Yeah - What Toby said."

"Hi dude what's your name?" He pads right up, hands in pocket - his face covered by eerie orange goggles - like dim streetlights, and his mouth covered by a black guard. His eyes dart down to the hatchet hanging at his hips as he replies.

"I'm Jay … Jay Merrick…"

"Oh hey your that dude that got all fucked up filming the operator, welcome to the club!" 

"I … oh … yeah I'm that … guy." 

There is a cracking sound, and a corresponding trail leads up the wall, dumping dust onto the tiles.

" _I've bought you all the time I can … try not to get captured … yet again for Jay and Toby."_

Jessica thinks, _'Again? I know about Toby but Jay?'_ She looks at the man who's face is unreadable.

Toby says "Do I know you or something?" But there is no reply.

"Awe … this was such a nice place, it's a shame." Jessica finally settles on speaking.

Then Toby's personality shifts, "Get ready." 

The mosaics shatter and tiles rain below their feet - but no one screams as they fall into a void.

Thought she does jump when her feet meet ground and opens here eyes - when did she close them?

([The Complex - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/qF_KwjPVa-g))

Rosswood is _alive_ , brimming with energy and crimson red light, swimming through the trees and roots. It would be beautiful if not for the doom it spells. 

"Is … is Rosswood the Tower's realm?" Jay asks.

"Realm?" Jessica asks.

"No … not quite." Says Toby. "I don't know much about how it works - but his 'realm' follows him. Being near him … you're in his domain."

"Maybe that's why the cameras get all jammed…"

"Maybe." 

"Yeah - can someone explain to me what you're talking about."

"Uhh … I promise later I'll show you Jessica." Jay shakes his hands with a nervous smile.

They're nestled in a little book of trees, but they can't hide forever.

"Where do we go?" Jessica asks.

"To the ark … it's where I came from … we just have to get to some water I think, it worked for me last time…"

"I'm not going to ask just going to assume you're right."

Now they're relying mainly on Toby (a bit of a scary thought to Jessica) for his knowledge.

"He probably knows you're here now Jay … and he undoubtedly knows we're trying to escape - but he may not know where…"

"He'll block off our way to the water if he's smart…" Jay mumbles.

"He is … he's going to try and recapture us, so they'll be coming towards us in a circle … or a line."

The operator is going to try and stop them here. Before they could leave. Jay doesn't know the consequences of that - and Alnassik is dead silent, has been dead silent for a while now. 

"We have to find the line, and push through. Make a run for it. I've never met any other _proxies_ in person - but I know exactly how he'd send out a group."

"You suggest splitting up or sticking together …?" Jessica asks.

Toby thinks.

"Slightly - split up, but not too far that we can't hear each other. Too far and they'll pick us off - too close they'll circle us. Just keep running towards the creek."

"Oh my god this is crazy." Jessica breathes.

"You ready?" Jay asks.

"Ready as I can be, not like we have a choice."

"We should probably figure out which way the creek is before we go…"

"Well … Rosswood is backwards but I think we're to the West … the tunnel would be North from here…" Jay thinks, pointing into the woods ahead.

"Well … _North it is_ …"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many times can I use The Complex as a song? Answer: AS MUCH AS I WANT
> 
> Still, wonder who that Hierophant is 😏


	57. The Battle of Rosswood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby, Jessica, and Jay fight their way through the woods - but one member seems to have quite an absence
> 
> Alternative Summary: This will look better if you envision it like an anime fight otherwise I have no idea how it looks.  
> Basically this whole thing is to see which character can wrack up the most "bitch" points.

[(Undaunted - Kevin MacLeod)](https://youtu.be/ou6TAZkgadw)

They walk together for a bit, until Toby motions for them to split up. The energy vibrates under their feet. Red ripples of light.

Jessica just focuses on running and not dying - and her wishes of avoiding conflict are broken when a wan stands in her way, black and white like a television screen - her eyes taped over in X's. She doesn't stop her momentum, and keeps running as he fist grows into a shard.

She stabs forward - their face glitches - a woman with blonde hair. As soon as they appear they're gone, out of her way. 

Then it's another, who appears through the trees at her side with a skull mask, each tree that passes by shows them closer and closer up - they slide out ahead of her with deadly force and speed, stopping her path, and then another other she recognizes from before, the one with the smiling theatre mask who slows time. They approach straight ahead in a winding, learned tandem.

_'Who are these two?'_

_"Nazis … some of them_." Aietidal answers.

"Typical Nazis - there's always more of you …" She says out loud. But none of them stay near her for very long, instead plunging into the darkness of the woods to chase Jay - she hopes he knows what he's doing.

And " _it"_ rolls in like a storm cloud. A riveting fear and static in the air - but it only coils around - does not affect her.

She sees Toby moving through the dark smoke, a reminder that she's still on the ground and alive. Small bolts of electricity travel in the clouds, lashing out like snake tongues - but not at her, rather searching for the brown-haired boy.

A bolt breaks through the clouds, lighting up bright and loud - she fears he's been hit, but the smog clears to reveal the electricity passing into a tree from a hatchet lodged in the side. _'That's smart!_ ' She can't help but cheer in her head. Maybe she's a little too confident right now - or maybe it's Aietidal giving her the bravery.

Someone backs up against her but she knows who it is - a reminder that he's still there.

Small wires slither around on the ground, they step over them, then they rise into the air like a cobra preparing to strike - if that cobra had a taser for a mouth.

They spike out and grab at Toby, he backs up, dodging each attempt, tongues of fire lashing near but never close enough. He deflects one with the newer hatchet, but the rubber on the handle insulates enough against the electricity.

"Kinda predictable what you're going to do these days!" He twists it, pulling back to rip the wiry thing off of whatever it was attached too.

But he can't keep doing this forever - she's better equipped to fight this … thing.

She takes the next opportunity to step out.

"Toby! Run! Now!" Her hands shield her face from the electricity, arms all turned to a glassy, opalescent Abalone. It's an awful screeching sound as it deflects off - but it gives Toby the chance to break out of the fight.

"Show yourself coward!"

Wrong choice of words.

It appears in front of her, looming like the trees - but fear is fear, she has to fight that feeling away. It's just a tall ass tree man! Kick it's ass!

She kicks out for it's leg, and it's like hitting a metal pole.

"Oww!" The thing almost cocks its head in amusement. Before the electrodes can hit, her body is surrounded in pearly armor. She pushes to jump a little - but plans change when she soars up into the air, grabbing a tree branch to catch herself. 

"Woah…" The thing hardly reacts to her - simply watching as she bounces around.

 _'Fine then_.' She aims to stab it - but instead flies right through like a cloud - strings re-attaching it's body as it reforms. She swings again - for the leg, and yet again, it separates again. It's either hitting air or a brick wall.

 _"When he is still reforming, make it hurt!"_ Aietidal cheers.

This time when she swipes at it - rather he - poofs into smoke, she uses the stone claws to pulls herself up the tree bark, and before Harut can string himself back together she launches herself off the tree.

She feels satisfaction as her colliding shin actually causes the monster to flinch - It's like hitting marble, but regardless she heard herself yelling **"YOU CAN'T BREAK ME DOWN!"** But inwardly cringes - show knows the thing is amused by her display.

She delivers another swift blow to a leg - once more like hitting solid rock, a slight cracking sound, but when she looks it's not to herself. The armor is still intact. 

Before she can lash out again, the faceless demon apparently has had enough of that, and sends her somewhere else in Rosswood, ground shifting and spinning- she faces the woman again.

\---

She struggles to fight with this woman, tape crossed out over her eyes - her powers are unknown - but she doesn't hit Jessica, just trips her up and traps her in place. If she could just get a hit - 

The breath is knocked out of her.

She kneels on the forest floor, a punch to the gut neither she nor Aietidal saw. She swallows back bile. It's delivered by a figure substantially covered in black, except for arms running up and down with deep scars and slices.

They're a lot taller than herself, but she holds her ground, raising her arms. As they approach - a series of cuts is made through the crystal of her armor.

" _Shit!"_ She curses as a cut makes through, ripping through the skin of her arm.

She backs up again - but she's only cut. There's nothing to defend against but thin air! A cut catches the back of her thigh - she hisses in pain. She hears swipes - but does not see them, doesn't feel them until shattered bits of opal fly around like glitter and stars, chunk by chunk breaking through her armor. _Why can't she see!?_

The woman keeps catching her off guard too - she swings at one and is hit in the back by the other. She's going to lose at this point.

Toby slides over into view.

"Wanna trade dancing partners?"

"Sure." 

And maybe it's experience, luck, or magic, but Toby has no problem deflecting the invisible arcs slicing through the air. They're heavy blows - but he's strong enough for it. He knows now who he's fighting - it's hard for him to believe - but the man _is real_. Milo Asher - or at least, what was left of him. Second only to Firebrand in their ranks. Ok ok maybe he was fan-girling a bit - time to focus.

"Go find your friend." He tells Jessica, and she's off.

It's an odd, yet refreshing experience as he cuts and slices away with the hatchets. He no longer feels that blistering anger and hatred - Instead assuming an air of calm. Things are much clearer this way, without the raging storm of emotions going round and round his brain. He can anticipate their next moves, their weaknesses - as well as his own guard, his own movements. He's deflecting two at once. One axe guarding his back, the other his torso.

There's no talk - he doesn't even believe they can talk. So he doesn't talk. And the only anger he feels now - is seeing another human being like this. He couldn't see it before - but now he's on the outside looking in, and he realizes just how lucky he was to get _out_. All those years of dark lies and promises of power to cut down his enemies - the moment he broke free - that was power. That felt like power, and feels like power. The power to change one's fate is … priceless.

One moment he swings - and in the next they're done - they look in the same direction, and disappear - their master calls. Toby can still hear the ring in his head, but there is no compulsion, no chain around his neck.

 _Is there a chance to set these people free? Did they even deserve that? How bad were they before?_ Many questions he doesn't know answers too.

The world shifts again:

Jessica is alone with the two masked men.

She lands on the one with the skull mask, kicking them - but they shift away before hitting the ground. They teleport around just in the corners of her vision, and she struggles to swing without losing her guard. She tries to make a break for it but is stopped.

_"He teleports - physical attacks won't work on him, unless you can get creative."_

_'What else can I do then!?'_

' _That is for you to decide.'_

And then a surge of anger like a child's temper tantrum flows out her feet into the ground - it turns to opal, spikes shooting up - they slide in and around the two assailants - trapping them both. She turns to the smiling one and punches the mask right off, revealing another, sad looking theatre mask. The impact has little to no effect on them … _like hitting a dead body_.

She twists around remembering that the other can just teleport away - and she's right - they're gone. But no one attacks at the moment. She is alone with just the frowning one trapped in rock.

"Don't go anywhere." She races off to find Toby.

\---

The two related collective members walk around, mind in a static haze, as they look for the one called Jay. But everytime they latch on to another trail - they get another.

But one itches at the old wounds on his arms. The smell of purple and blood and many vile things. 

He remembers how Firebrand escaped.

 _"A loathsome creature with mutual interest_ … _"_ Habit wouldn't skip an opportunity to be a thorn in their side. But Habit wasn't one for hiding usually - so where _was_ he? His presence is there, but not - a distortion of its former self, less powerful and more … is that … regret?

Something is very wrong...

"He's around …." The scarred man whispers.

"Then flush him out…" The blind woman says.

The third target had been hiding too well before - it seemed they were only fighting two, not three. That's why they were sent searching for him.

"If only the Observer were here…" He speaks softly.

"Don't speak about that traitor…" She snaps.

And then the source of all those mixed signals pops out of nowhere.

"Hey guys! Whatcha doing out here huh? Killin some shit? I'll join."

They toss a rock, smashing the woman's head in - she disappears. It's definitely Habit, but they smell like The Hermit, and the human Jay Merrick … and others … many others he cannot name because he hasn't tasted that aura before. It's sick, wreaking of chaos and burden - a ticking time bomb, a festering infection.

"Just you and me pal!" He laughs. He cannot fight whatever this thing is, so he loosens up.

"It's strange seeing you in a different body…

"Trust me I didn't choose it-"

"I guess I'm your next target?"

"You bet - URGGGHH!" His toes curl, biceps bending as he claws at his own shoulders.

"Fuccckkkk it's like some kind of drug! But-" The knife drops "Can't - do it again … not again…"

"Habit … genuinely, are you alright?" The scarred one asks.

 **"NOOO**!" He gasps, ripping at his arms again. "That damned Devil -" Purple leaks from his eyes and mouth "I'm going to kill them - I swear to myself - they made me do thiiiissss!" 

"The Devil?" He asks.

"YES! THAT BITCH!"

"The Devil's been dead for years Habit … we made certain of it."

"Well you fucked it up! You-fuck-no shut up you assholes! You have no idea what you're doing!" Jay's body drops to the forest floor, seizing up.

The man looks down at him, then around - all is clear. This abomination has no clear signal, he's safe as long as no one finds him. The Administrator won't find him ...

" _Best to keep this quiet…"_

He walks away, leaving the thin, possessed man to his vices on the glowing red earth.

\---

The message goes out.

" **Stop playing with them and end it."**

_Orders are orders_.

" _Bluddy Hell_ \- Ich habe darauf gewartet."

"Sie waren süß, muss man zugeben…" 

"Überwachsene affen…"

"Can we atleast kill them and get it over with…?" 

"Captured alive - for now… they're still useful to the Keeper..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Jessica seems like a very confident and focused, forgiving individual - but this is the beginning of where her differences in perception will really shine through, whether it be a flaw or an asset.
> 
> Aietidal is like a personal support coach


	58. Stages of Hopelessness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian sits around.  
> Tim makes his way through Rosswood.  
> Toby and Jessica are captured.

([Promising Relationship - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/3nECkBtDtKk))

Well, it was fun while it lasted. 

A brief respite before the end of the world…

Now it was time to face the magic.

Brian sits against the building, idly drifting somewhere between consciousness, and a drug like state. Turns out you couldn't get high or anything around here. For such a crazy bitch, 37 was stone cold clean.

So, he just lets himself sit in whatever scrappy bit of sunlight streams through, lucid, foodless, half alive. He's a fool for ever having a heart- "Hey Brian … why don't you come sit with us? It's a lot warmer inside, and you should eat something dude…" He starts to register the shadow bending down in front of him, looking with concern behind glass lenses.

"There's a bunch of people you haven't met yet, you should come, talk to them a bit…" Warm hands take his and try to pull him up, but Kevin isn't strong enough to lift his dead weight.

"Brian, I'm sure they'll come back - look at Evan, he came back!"

But Kevin knows it, they all know it - this is just one big hoohaw before the final release of death. Brian can't fucking wait.The only thing that keeps him alive is the low buzz of that foreign mind in his body, swirling around with anxiety - something's coming… something's coming. But Brian can't speak with it - can only feel. And it's angry at him for being so lazy.

"Hey Brian! How ya' doing?" The Devil's voice is grating. For once in his life he can't think of anyone he'd rather kill then them. 

\---

[(Steel and Seething - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/JhIU-r9iAQc))

He emerges in the bright red woods, head full of his own static, blocking out the rest of the world. He can smell, and feel, and _kill_ with his talons - he just has to find them, hunt them, take them down. Kill, Kill, Kill - just like Alex, break their necks for standing in his way. Anything that breathes, and speaks - he travels like a plague searching for life to choke away.

His vision is mostly black and swirls of red at this point, but his ears, his nose, remain keen.

"He's finally arrived." A voice to his front right.

"Tell him to hurry up then! The Hermit can't escape!"

_'Whose side am I fighting on? Oh yeah … my own.'_

He lashes out, feeling liquid.

"What!?"

"He's not under his control!" Another screams, and he goes for them. He punches at a face he can't even see and hears bones crunching and snapping. He can't feel though. He can feel nothing.

\--

They'd regrouped momentarily, looking out at their current predicament - four enemies blocking the exit point.

"The creek isn't an option anymore …" Jessica grumbles.

"The tunnel!" Toby and Jay whisper yell at the same time, turning to face each other.

"Which direction is that?"

"It shouldn't be that far but … Rosswood changes. We may just have to keep running around…"

"We can't do this all night."

"What other choice do we have though…"

"Fight…" Toby mutters. "We might be able to take them in a group, they're not trying that hard … we might have a shot."

"Well … let's go, I'm sick of waiting around …" Jay got up walking.

"H-hey wait up Jay!" That was her first cue something was a little off.

They take off - but it's not long before others join their path. She turns her head. "Be careful they're closing -" Jay is gone. She stops. "He was just with us!" 

Then - the lights go out.

The forest is dark.

"ACK!" To her side, she's about to call, "Tob-" She's grabbed by the throat - meeting a skull mask in the dead light. She hardens her skin with crystal, and tries to slice out, but something has her from behind too - and the stone is slowly crumbling away, and then she is kicked to the ground, hitting someone. Their breath is labored.

"Shit … didn't know how much that hurt …" She hears Toby whisper. 

([Wounded - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/B5eNhrAjyhs))

She can't move, binding twine at her hands and feet as she angrily flails around.The lights resurface - they're surrounded. Toby is bleeding.

And like that, it all dies.

She was naive to think that she had a chance against them. The realization hits like a load of bricks. These are murderers, years and years older than her and experienced beyond belief. Escape is a ludicrous hope, a simple dream. What's going to happen to them? She struggles. Aietidal is silent. The people from before, and some new, stand around them in judging silence. She glares straight back.

Then-

"There's an issue to the South…" One says.

"Hey wait did you just speak!?" She's ignored.

"Can they not handle it?" 

There's a pause.

"They're regenerating - so no."

"Leave them here, they can't do anything now."

"You wanna bet?" Toby snarls. There's a laugh.

"Täuschen"

"I don't speak German shithead…"

"He says you are an ill-mouthed runaway child." The man in the smiling mask kneels down to their level, cooing in a thick german accent.

"I don't know how you severed yourself from Zhe Collective … but rest assured v'we will get it out of you." He pulls Toby's mask down and takes his chin in hand. "There is always something more v'we can take from you Rodgers…" He nods sideways at Jessica. If looks could kill, well, they wouldn't be in this mess.

A loud buzzing, a tuning radio, screams in her head. She can't reach her hands to cover her ears. But it stops after ten seconds, and when she opens her eyes once more - he stands, in the flesh.

He wasn't this scary when she kicked him. His face, unreadable (obviously). Did this freaky alien thing really control all these people? He doesn't even talk...

_"_ _Good evening. Toby. Ms. Locke."_ He regards them.

"You speak too! What the hell! Why didn't you talk to us before!?"

 _"You're hearing him through my mind I believe … different language_ …" Aietidal whispers.

"Oh."

She tries to focus on her hands rather than the looming death and horror this thing eminates refusing to look as it towers over them, and bends down. White faceless facade directly in her face. She says away from it.

_"We've never met properly before, though I assume you know who I am?"_

"The Tower?"

 _ "In outdated terms - Yes." _He moves on to Toby.

_"Tobias … you're behavior recently has been … dissatisfying."_

"Fuck you. You killed my sister. I'm not your _pet_ anymore."

He straightens up in a smooth motion.

_"Once you're oath is taken, you can never go back."_

"Did you kill my sister!?!? Tell me!"

_"Do you really want to know that answer~"_

Toby grovels to himself, thinking, trying to process the strange mixture of anger and adrenaline. He wants to lash and kick but that will only aggravate the wound, and worry Jessica. His former master only lets out an amused sigh.

_"Yes, I was present that night. It's arbitrary. You were set from the beginning down this path."_

Toby goes silent. He could shout, scream, cry, curse - but he looks at Jessica, almost like they can read each other's minds.

 _'Give him nothing_. _'_

So they both say nothing.

_"Not the talkative kind. That is good. It is a waste of air."_

Then he turns to Jessica, and without eyes, he looks straight on through her.

_ "Anything to say for yourself Temperance?" _

It takes a few moments, but Aietidal replies in Jessica's voice, "You will lose this war…"

_"I appreciate the warning…"_

His back is to them in a flash.

_"The third one?"_

"He split from ze group. It seems his hiding skills are … more advanced." The skull masked one says.

" _Does anyone know_ **_where_ ** _the hermit is?"_

Jay wouldn't … just leave them like that, right?

_Right?_


	59. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay awakens on the forest floor.
> 
> Tim reunites with an old friend and a familiar nuisance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for uh ... Idk how to describe it, two characters having a violent argument, and also wormy boys. Basically the usual stuff for this fic.

[(Houseki no Kuni - Night](https://youtu.be/YC_H7r3CCs4))

Jay sits in a strange, dark room, only the dull blaze of a flickering flame - He's paralyzed, he notices, only being able to listen the sounds around him.

Yelling. Lots and lots of yelling.

"SHUT UP YOU CRAZY CUNT!"

"You're so fucking lucky Habit, when we're separate again, I will come for you - I will never stop hunting for you and killing you over and over."

"Bitch you died sooo long ago, GET OVER IT!"

"Funny funny, guess what Habit, I never did! And now look at me - how does it fucking feel to be on the same level as one of your little "rabbits".

"Ohhhh like you're any better, say - how many people did you kill before the Devil kicked your ass, DOLL?"

"I did it out of mercy you spineless selfish waste of fucking energy and stardust, I'm going to kill you!"

**"BE QUIET YOU TWO!"**

"SHUT UP HERMIT!"

"Don't tell him to shut up! You lost all rights the moment your sorry ass cracked out of its egg."

"OH WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GO DIE PEACEFULLY LIKE ALL MY OTHER LITTLE PLAY TOYS, YOU OVERCOOKED WHORE!" Jay feels an impact hit him back, and a pair of iron gripped hands close around his neck. He - can't - breathe.

"You'll always be jealous Habit, I warned you the day would come, I would see you _SUFFER_ as long as I played my part. And The Devil kept their promise. All that pain - it's worth it, just to strangle your chest with my heart."

"That's- not what - 108013 - would think-" He cackles like a hyena.

"RAWWWWW!" Jay feels like his face is being beaten in.

 _'Please. Please please stop, stop!'_ But he cannot move or see, just feel and hear. It feels like he's being ripped apart.

_'Please!'_

**"QUA THAT'S ENOUGH - YOU WILL RUIN THIS!"**

"I can't take much more of this Alnassik! I want his fucking purple ass blood on my hands!"

**"You're being too loud. The walls have ears."**

And like a candle, the dream blows out.

\---

[(Houseki no Kuni - Breaking](https://youtu.be/KaldB8lQ0uQ))

It feels like… something is crawling out of his ears. Out of his mouth. Out of his nose. Slimy and earthy. He opens his eyes to see thin little hairs weaving above his fallen form. They come from him, straight from his stomach, but there is no gag.

He's so hungry.

Worms sway.

Worms dance.

The worms explode into a frenzy across the forest floor, a famine filled raid.

They seek out his enemies and descend upon them like a tidal wave, consuming flesh and delectable tissues. He feels them crunch and break satisfyingly. They won't be regenerating for a while.

But that still leaves The Operator, who is _mad_ , coming head on. The mass of worms regroups and seizes back as one being.

 _Slash_!

Black shadows cut through and through, and he can only watch helplessly as his wall of defense breaks down.

He baited then with worms - they slice and cut and he's _losing this._

He's going to die and disappear again under that thing's liege. 

_'Not again._ '

**"It's yours, use it."**

Before they can reach Jay, lines shine from in-between the branches, towards the creature. Fishing wire. Like a glass sculpture the hooks tear at the creature, glitches of static flickering with it. It tries to teleport, but the lines still hold true in place.

Jay doesn't want to know what it is saying, trying to reach him with the static and dark shadows, but each one is thwarted and wrapped away. 

He can feel the fishing pole in his hands.

 _'Throw the line_.' He makes like he is fishing, swinging his arms over his head.

Wires burst from the trees, coiling around The Operator, tensile strength sucking him back into the depths of the woods.

In the odd twilight of the magical forest, he sees the statues again, just as numerous as the trees. They hold their trap taught. It's finally clear who they work for. 

" _AGAIN!"_ They take aim at another masked enemy - this one sharing a slight resemblance with his own skull mask. They don't stand a chance the moment the harpoons thrust into them, their powers cease. They too are flung into the deep woods.

He's tired … So tired. It feels like his brain is only processing the world in small increments, short and quick sentences. He's being fried internally, barely registering Toby and Jessica near him, free from their bindings.

But, something catches his eye - not another enemy. Jay snaps back to life.

"Tim!"

\---

He crushes the throat of some poor victim.

"Tim!" _Is that?_

He turns around but the face is only fuzzy static as it runs over to him.

"I'm so sorry Tim! I didn't realize what that egg was doing! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

_'J … a … y?'_

"I'm sorry for not telling you anything! I lied! Something's wrong with me Tim…. I'm scared of it … I don't know what's happening…" Jay whispers that part, and Tim feels arms wrap his torso around, rocking him. The contact causes a bright light, growing against the black ichor.

_'Jay…..'_

Jay wants to scream, but there is no sound. It hurts, worse than before, worse than anything ever - and he can feel himself fluxing, threatening to break under the weight of the corruption - then there's a presence to his shoulder, a prickling pain joins him but gives him new power. ' _Jessica.'_ He realizes. Then there is another hand on his back. _'That kid Toby…'_ It's enough strength to push his way through the thick corrupted shell encasing Tim's body and mind, tainting his soul. He shreds through it all until only light remains, and as the feeling subsides - he passes out, sweating bullets.

\---

[(Bittersweet - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/uYCOgWyRpVM))

Toby leaves Jessica with the two men to check the surrounding area. Jessica sits, staring at them- Tim and Jay. Both are people she hasn't seen in months - both with an inclination towards 'I'm fine'. 

"Idiots…" She sighs. "Look at where you both are … I don't even know where you've been … what you've been doing … but you're both a mess…" She looks out at the woods.

"I wonder, if we actually worked together, if any of this would've happened … oh well … that's what you get when you're stubborn as all hell."

Tim's eyebrows twitch and stir.

"Mmph." He sees a familiar face - and he snaps out of his funk. Where is he? Why is Jessica here? What?

"Tim! You're here!" Jessica is surprisingly looking very happy and nowhere near as stressed as when he left her in Alabama.

He's grappled into a hug.

"You should've told me what's going on, Tim. I would've helped! I'm your friend!"

Tim blushes ' _She sees me as a friend…'_ Maybe he wasn't as lonely as he thought.

Then she folds her arms, mimicking him in a dumb voice ""Oh I'm fine Jessica let me just collapse in this parking lot' And when were you going to tell me about Jay huh?"

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-" 

She feigns anger for a few more seconds before laughing, "I get it Tim … I probably would've done something similar in your position, we can talk later.

Well that was … unexpected, Tim can't help but feel he's being let off the hook too easily.

"We should probably go..."

"Where?"

"Where was Jay taking you?"

Toby appears out of the woods.

"Jessica are you alright- Oh hey Tim!" He greets him like an old friend.

' _Oh you've got to be_ **_shitting_ ** _me…_ ' It's the same kid he ran into before.

"Hey … Tim this is Toby … though I've heard you didn't have the best meeting…"

" _Yeah …_ I honestly thought he was dead after I blacked out." Tim rubs the back of his head.

"Sorry about that dude I was real fucked up - I mean I still am but not that bad."

"He's trying to say he's better. We both are. We went through the same thing Jay just … cured you of? I didn't even know he could do that - I didn't know I could do that… anyway, all of our corrupted souls are gone…"

"Don't tell me you got trapped in that creepy white mental hospital?"

"What? No, we actually got stuck at a hotel… it was weird at first but there were a few nice things! Mr. Crow was nice enough."

"Mr. Who-now?"

"We'll talk about it later, I don't know how long those guys will be gone for…"

"I shoved a fucking stick through the ones I could find! They'll have to wait for their master to get back to pull them off like a fucking kebab!" Toby chuckles with his hands on his knees.

Jessica rolls her eyes. "Alright … I guess it's four of us now…."

Jay is out cold, Tim heaves him up, thin and feeble, bony, yet gaining muscle from all the swimming. He whispers just quiet enough so the other two can't hear.

" _I got you back…"_ He hides a smile. He'll think about it later - now, they need to get to the tunnel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonderrrr who Qua is?


	60. Icy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim, Toby, Jessica, and Jay arrive back in the ark realm, greeted by an annoying presence.

[(The Seventh Plague, Hail - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/yWpxJoqgZOE))

On the other side of the tunnel, Tim almost slips on his ass. There's solid ice in front of them, there are snowy shards like claws sticking through, and it's nighttime, but bright as day with a moon that is way too big.

"C-cold, where are we?" Jessica shivers.

"I … I don't know…"

"You can have my jacket!" Toby offers and Jessica looks at him.

"Toby I appreciate the thoughtfullness but I think you're soaked in monster blood right now. How's your wound doing?"

"My - oh I forgot … it's gone."

"It's just … gone?"

"I guess…"

"That makes life easier." She sighs.

"ALRIGHT WHO FROZE THIS SHIT!" A grating, muffled voice yells.

It's only then he realizes the ice shards are buildings, and they're standing on what used to be a fountain.

"Oh there ya' are! Thought you would pop up here! Nice job with the ice, Tim."

"What are you -"

"Don't worry, this place barely ever stays together, more of a training ground …"

They leap dramatically from a spire, cracks radiating as their boots smash into the ice. The Devil.

"Do you know this guy?" Jessica whispers.

"Yes. Unfortunately."

Toby continues to stare in some strange awe at the metal glint of the weird tool they hold. _'They kinda look like me with that mask… kinda.'_

"This town has been deserted for a while, usually used it as a bombing range." They cackle, waving their arms about in the thick suit. They lack a covering over their mask. "There is NOTHING like blowing abandoned shit up! HA! KaaaaaBOOM! Into the fucking air! Unfortunately, I'm a bit too old for that work anymore. But - it was sooooo coooooolllll!" 37's eyes shine at this.

Tim leans over to Jessica "If you can't already tell - unstable."

"Oh I got that by the outfit." She indicates the ratty old suit straight out of the 20th century.

"Hi!" Toby yells.

"HEY THERE BUCKAROO!" They slap their legs together. "RIGHT! Business first, I'm 37, your friendly neighborhood firefighter, welcome to Florida!"

"Florida?" Jessica asks.

"AHAHAHAHA - no, but it sure seems like it sometimes! What's your name Jessi- whoops."

"Umm, I'm Jessica … this is Toby, and I … guess you know Tim…"

"Yep!" They put their hands on their hips. "Also, _Tim_ , I see you've brought Jay back. Good job."

"... Really?" 

"Yeah what?"

"Thought you we're going to yell at me…"

"Nope."

"Hmm…" Tim sighs. "Can you check on him, please?" 

"Yes indeedy. Thought you would ask that."

They pull a stethoscope from their pockets - only attaching it to the glass mask … They squeeze a cuff around Jay's arm, listening for his pressure. (Once again, without the thing in their ears.)

They flop his hands around a little bit, check his pulse, and - with surprising care - checks his eyes.

"He's all good, just taking a little nappy-poo!"

"Thank god…" Tim lets out a breath.

"Can't say so mentally - gonna need a lotta therapy."

"Not to be rude…" Jessica pipes up "But it seems like you could use some too…" Tim looks at Jessica with the _'Are you trying to get us killed?'_ look.

The firefighter laughs.

"Where the hell else am I supposed to get therapy? I'm basically considered a domestic terrorist for the shit I've pulled. WOO! THOSE WERE SOME FUN YEARS!"

"Hey me too!" Toby raises his hand. Jessica pushes it back down.

Jessica leans in to whisper in Tim's ear. "Actually … you know, now that I think about it, they kind of look familiar … but I can't place my thumb on it." Then Tim's hand was over her face.

"Trust me, don't look too hard, you'll get a headache."

"What?"

Before they can continue the conversation, Jay twitches in his arms, chest rising with a big puff.

"He's coming around …"

"You know you can set him down Tim…" Jessica points out. "You've gotta be tired by now…"

"Wh-what- no I'm not - and I'm not setting him down on the ice!"

"Hmmph" Jessica smiles.

"What!?" 

"Nothing~" She turns away giggling like Tim has something on his face. 

Jay's hand slinks around the back of Tim's neck, supporting himself with his shoulder. 

"Oh - hold on." Tim lets him down carefully, placing one foot after the other on the crumbled ice. Jay says nothing, staggering a few steps - looking here and there - then he turns into a blur.

Too much strength for Jay's wiry body lands him square in the jaw, pushing him back on the ice.

Jessica yelps "Jay what are you doing? That's Tim!"

" **What did you think you were doing! You ignorant fool!"** He stabs an accusing finger into his chest, bending over to stare with a cold, emotionless face.

"You were slowly killing him with that thing!"

**"I know my limitations."**

"THEN WHY! What was so special about that egg!?! That you risked _everyone_ for it."

" **DON'T INTERFERE WITH MY PLANS BOY!"**

It echoes off the buildings, shattering the ice castles.

"Woah …" Toby stares at the falling crystals like snow.

" **I should've used your mother instead … a lot more cooperative."**

"Well you don't tell me anything, why would I be cooperative - wait - mother?"

Jay- Alnassik, turns, pacing off.

"Where are you going!?"

 **"FOR A WALK!"** The moody angel yells back.

"What's wrong with him?" Jessica asks.

"It's a long story."

He storms off towards the coast line.

 _'Fools. They don't get it. They never will...'He_ has other, more important matters to attend to.

_Alex._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S ALMOST TIME.
> 
> ALEX.


	61. The Garden of Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and the gang begin their walk to town.  
> Jay meets a new angel of a different sort.
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Jay bumps his head and the trees talk to him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It literally took me longer to find a song for this chapter than to write it istg

[(Beyond the Window - Angel's Egg)](https://youtu.be/8nO9bKL5o1M)

"Where's he going?" 

"... He'll be back …" Tim grumbles. He went so far to find him just for Alnassik to walk off like the spoiled brat he is…

He turns back to The Devil, who has taken an odd interest in Toby's hatchets. "Well … shit … Guess we're walking back…" They grumble.

"Can you not … teleport?" Tim questions - he swears they've done it before.

"Pfft no … I wish… well kinda. You know what that's way too confusing, the short answer is no. Let's go!"

Tim isn't looking forward to a long trip back with what is basically his evil twin, but luckily they are caught up talking with Toby and Jessica the entire way. They walk across the prairie and The Devil enthusiastically points out different abandoned structures and monuments like the world's last tour guide. It's pretty, in it's own way, just constantly dreary and overcast.

Tim observes how 37 talks so differently to the other two. With a shift of their head their personality changes. Not much, but the difference is noticeable. They speak quietly to Toby with a deeper voice, and a happy-crazy to Jessica in a more feminine voice.

They're getting near the city limits when The Devil begins to drag behind. Jessica slows down to their pace, followed by Toby, and inevitably Tim.

"Are … you alright?" Toby pokes them.

"Yeah I'm - _agh_ \- great." And then as they walk their boots make a gross sloshing noise. Jessica decides to take their word for it but Toby won't let up-

"Maybe if you empty out your boots it will weigh less? When did you get water in them?" 

"Yeah …Water. They're just going to keep filling up. Don't worry this is _completely_ normal."

That's when red escapes the pants, and starts leaving a trail.

"D-dude you're going to bleed out." 

"Uh yeah maybe we should stop." Jessica suggests.

"I'm fine! I just need my daily twenty hour nap. I think y'all can make it the rest of the way." They puff into smoke and they're gone.

"Oh so _now_ they can teleport. Great." Tim says, throwing his hands up.

  
  


\---

Jay blinks behind the mask shading his face - it's day, hot, and sunny - where's Tim? When had Alnassik taken over? Why isn't he used to this by now?

**"** **_I've brought you here to begin accruing the last pieces of our puzzle. This … certain object … will bring Alex back to us."_ **

' _Alex!?'_ Alex. Jay hadn't thought about it … if Brian survived, and he did - where _was_ Alex?

_'Alex is alive?'_

**_"No - but he is animate. I have enlisted a special sort of angel for his case. We are no longer strong enough to clean his corruption."_ **

_'Is that why we're here? To find … them?'_

**_"Yes … they will help. But you must ask them first."_ **

Jay is still horribly confused and surprised - but _he_ has to ask them?

' _Why don't you talk to them?'_

" ** _It's … been a while."_ **

_'Wow thanks…'_

Great. He has to find and talk to one of these "beings." He'd met The Devil, and obviously the Operator … he just hopes it isn't anything like them. He doesn't think he can handle another strong personality in this horrible web.

The place is mildly humid, and glows with bright green, a thick jungle of twisting vines, trees, and different plants and flowers. There is a loud buzzing of different insects, the croak of frogs, the caws of ... parrots? He steps with caution, at least the ground here is just a clear dirt path.

He _hears_ the sounds, but never happens upon anything. It just radiates from … everywhere.

Something falls on his head, blocking his view, and he takes it in hand.

' _MY HAT!'_

"What?" He says aloud.

The cap is snagged back by a moving vine.

"H-Hey!" Then a tug at his mask, both being pulled into a dense thicket of a definitely-moving plant.

"H-hello?"

"Come closer, let me have a look at you." 

He sees no one, but regardless, steps forward into a clearing.

"I uh … I'm not sure if I have the right person but uh … I have a friend that's corrupted … by The Tower, and … a uh … another friend told me … that you're better at dealing with those … cases?"

The vines sway, like one large gesture. "So … not only, do you want me to steal away the Proxy of a devilish fiend, but to eat back at a corrupted soul." Leaves begin shaking and falling with laughter.

"You've done your research, boy. I'm thoroughly flattered you came all the way to find me. Or was it Alna that told you?" They produce an engraved spoon, waving it threateningly over his shoulder. Something behind him shrinks back in fear, but Jay stands as brave as he can. 

"Jay Merrick, Procuracy of Alnnasik." He feels an image of a sly smile behind his face. "A "friend". I must say if you've managed to befriend that conniver, hmmm … yes I give credit where it is due." A vine reaches to tuck a large black feather in his hair, tickling him awkwardly.

"I knew you would arrive here eventually. You wish to take me to your friend Alex Kralie to cure him of his ailments, which all started with the production of a student film called Marble Hornets. Am I right?"

"Y-yeah that's … correct."

There are a few minutes of contemplative silence as the vines sway in the light breeze, thinking. Sunlight dapples his forehead, and he thinks he could fall asleep standing.

Finally, they speak.

"He has to want to live for it to work." The vines shake.

"What do you mean?" 

The bracken chuckles sadly. "I would think … someone like that … after all this time-" A branch wraps around a little, ornate mirror, handing it to Jay. "-they would hate themselves." It shows Jay's reflection, then Alex's, but an old memory of who Alex used to be. "Harut's best games are hatred and blame. To get what he needs." Then it shows Alex, short hair, blood around his neck and glasses broken.

The vines move in closer to him, one lightly wrapping around his wrist, but not trapping him. They seem to carefully tie an old frayed ribbon around his bone, flush against his skin but not painfully so.

"Pardon any offense…" Jay's hat is returned to him, crow feather being tucked in his jacket pocket. He stays stark still. "... but humans can be sensitive things … to know he was the first to fall to it's whims. I would assert, he'd blame himself, once his consciousness belonged to him again. I doubt he wouldn't be a very stable host, no?"

Jay thinks this over for a moment, as a vine hands him yet another trinket. And another. Another. Another one.

He speaks up after being adorned with so many random objects. "Let me deal with that part, I'll help Alex. But I need _you_ to save him. I will do the rest. I just need … one favor." 

"Ha-ha-ha-ha." …. the forest shakes with an old laughter.

"I … Still believe in Alex. He's strong underneath it all. I just have to reach him."

"Is that not what got you shot the first time? Who's to say it won't happen again?"

"Well … uh … then you can call me a fool and spit on my grave!"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" The canopy laughs."That's the spirit I like to see…." They sigh. "Alright, **Jay Merrick**. We have a _deal_."

A wooden box is brought forward, strangled in a death grip."Things work differently for me then it does for your Alna. Do not open this until you are _certain_ it is time."

"Uh … why not?"

"Lot of cleaning up, I don't suppose you have Roundup?"

"Uh ... definitely not."

"Fu~fu~fu~"

It's maybe as long as Jay's forearm, a thin and antiquated chest.

There's a soft chuckle before all the briar's begin to magically recede into the box. As they reach their end, the vines form what appears like a face, smiling at him. It's a bit creepy … but not dangerously so. Not suspicious. Like a non-human trying to mimic.

"Oh wait! What's your name!?"

"Ha ha ha ha - **Helena**. That is my name."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've waited a long time to introduce this character, I love him/her (depends on the day). Helena represents both the empress and emperor cards.


	62. Helena's Holy Nail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay confronts his killer.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Jay gives the middle finger to the Operator

[(Track B - Angel's Egg)](https://youtu.be/FA2sml5A71g)

They arrive back in town, to a surprising amount of welcome. Jessica mills about talking to different people about their own separate bullshit and experiences. Unlike when they originally arrived, she has no problem getting the semi-aloof citizens to come out of their shells.

It's Kevin who comes up to Tim first. 

"Oh my god … I was starting to think you would never come back…"

"I was only gone a little over a week, yee of little faith!"

Kevin frowns, grimacing to the side.

"I forgot time works differently outside the ark… it's been … much longer, but that's not what I wanted to talk about… It's Brian."

"Yeah … where is he? I've been looking around…"

"Brian went missing as well … we've been searching for him - we thought maybe he joined up with you …"

"He's … missing?"

"Yes … his mental state declined after you two disappeared. And then he went completely off the map…"

"We were only gone for - wait, _how long_ _in real time?"_

Kevin hesitates.

"How long were we gone for?"

"There's no easy way to put this … you've been gone for the past **_five years…"_ **

\---

[(Deep Haze - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/Drd7oXJNwOg)

Alnassik had transferred them through the ocean once again - this time though, He was pulled to the bottom, and passed through the gravel, until he emerged in a gray, silty pond, in an ever grayer world.

**"** **_We are taking a back way into the Towers realm, he won't know we are here."_ **

_'This place looks somewhat familiar…'_

**_"It is. It's just another copy of the hundreds and hundreds of Rosswoods. He keeps his victims in separate areas like prisoners, doomed to wander corrupted and broken, until he finds better use for them."_ **

Jay walks through a foggy forest. Leafless trees only black outlines in the distance. Flat and compacted dirt at his feet. Tread lightly. It looks just like a forest after a wildfire - but he knows better. Things lurk here.

Through the mist, a clone of Benedict Hall stands alone and waiting, with the front door slightly ajar. He takes a few steps up, and he feels the sickening familiarity of it.

It's somewhat like a trance, retracing the steps of that fateful day. He can almost do it with his eyes closed. He enters the basement - and the strange, grumbling static begins.

 _'It's him.'_

A black corrupted shadow in the unmistakable form of Alex Kralie.

_'He's here! He's real!'_

Jay is ready to confront his killer, and the first words leave his lips.

"Alex!"

And he was right. The black ghost glitches around to face Jay, white rectangles where his glasses used to be. It twitches in fury … no, not not fury - agony. The agony of a corrupted man having watched the same memory on repeat in this dungeon of the mind.

It stares, white glasses fizzing against the black - a gun raises.

Instead of waiting, he charges Alex, bullet _missing_. This time, this time for sure! He would save him.

Helena's box crunches open, wood smithereens falling from his closing hand, fingers wrapping around a long, cold rail spike. A vine snakes up his wrist with a set of words, delivered by a crow's caw.

 **_'You know what to do.'_ **

Alex's true face grimaces behind the static mask as his target knocks the pistol away, and Jay plunges the spike into his chest - before shooting back out of reach. He had barely stabbed it a quarter of an inch, but it holds. 

Alex stops, scrabbling for the offending object, hand ripping at the thing, but it's vines take root.

" **ARGG - GAAAAA - AAAHH"** his scream glitches in and out, as he wrestles with the vines growing over him, into his ribs. Soon silencing the struggling arms with a death grip like a straight jacket. If he had been human still, it would probably look more ... gory.

The vines stab out of his hip bones and wrap themselves down his legs and his flailing is stilled.

He stops moving finally when the wood encased him like a living doll. The vines seem to grow into his eyes and mouth, a small dark indentation left in their shape. 

_Shit_. Maybe he killed Alex….

"Well done, Jay Merrick." Helana stands, wood creaking as it adjusts to the … body. ' _I'm gonna be sick.'_ He thinks.

"I am tired right now. I leave the rest to you…"

"W-wait-"

The wood retreats, directing towards Alex's spine. Revealing him now. Disheveled, scarred, bloody, scruffy and smelly, but human now. He falls forward and Jay catches him.

"J-jesus - Alex." He's cold and quiet. 

"Oh my god he's dead." 

' _Of course he is Jay! What were you thinking it was going to be?'_ He slaps himself mentally.

It's really - _really_ weird, holding a cadaver.

 _'Calm down Jay it's just Alex … it's temporary… it's not like it's some random guy.'_ It doesn't help.

' _I guess … going back to the ark, should help him.'_

"Ok Alex - just uh … gimme a minute here…" He struggles, much longer than that, trying to figure out how to carry him, falling over several times, having to push the body off when he hits the floor. He eventually throws his arms over his shoulders, Jay leaning forward, holding his legs around his hips.

"You're heavy you - bastard man." He curses, and with a huff, begins walking. He is a dead weight - _literally_ \- on his back, but he can move a few steps at a time in this position. If he falls to the side though, he's screwed.

He returns to the gray pond without incident - was it really that easy!? In and out … It feels like a trap, but he has two angels on lookout duty for him.

He lays Alex out on the beach soon as he drags himself to shore, heaving and puffing under the gray skies, water still for miles.

And holy shit it's been at least an hour now.

This is ...

This is _torture_.

Yes, yes he knows he hasn't seen Alex in forever, and his condition is probably worse than it appears, but Jay is impatient, desperate to see life in the eyes of his old friend. His real friend, with the baby striped jacket. Not the murderous gaze of a lost man.

But he shows promising signs, his breathing slowly working, his heart thumping.

He's alive.

Alex is _alive_.

He notices, on his neck, the deep scars …

Oh. Tim did kill him…

He'd almost forgotten. He'd forgotten a lot of things.

The island. The swimming. The reef. The cat.

Now it was just … angels angels angels and bullshit.

" _MEOW!"_ He jumps, seeing the little black cat sitting behind him - like teleportation. He reaches out to brush sand from the cute thing's ears.

"Hey buddy …"

The cat goes up, inspecting And kneading at the scruff on Alex's face, then folds itself into a loaf on his chest, moving with the slow rise and fall.

And after what feels like hours, there's a furrow in his brows.

"Mmm." An arm shifts, but fails to lift high enough for his face, so Jay sits over him, trying to block some of the blinding light.

Alex opens his eyes.

And screams.


	63. Alex Kralie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay "guides" Alex
> 
> Alternative Summary: Jay's mental state goes for the rapid dive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Helena
> 
> Also, I've recently opened an RP server for the ark, you can join with one or multiple OC's, with either some relation to the operator or the slenderverse in general. For instance I have characters who died in a fan trial to, as a sort of afterlife where they can reunite with their loved ones. There's many secrets the ark still holds.
> 
> https://discord.gg/hrFFvSR

([What is this? - Houseki no Kuni)](https://youtu.be/miHwaU6_eOo)

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jay leaps back as he screams. His eyes move left and right, then locking on Jay.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He points, scrambling away.

"A-alex! Wait!" 

And for a man who just woke up from death, he could run fast.

"Stop running!"

"No! Stay away from me!"

"Alex Kralie it's me!"

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! STAY AWAY FROM ME BEFORE IT COMES BACK!" 

A vine trips Alex. "Agh!" He falls onto the ground terrified of Jay.

"No no no - please god no, please - please!" He hacks out on the verge of tears.

"Al-"

"I CAN SEE THEM!"

He writhes around on the ground, and Jay grabs him.

"Calm down!"

"THEY WON'T GO AWAY - I KILLED THEM!"

"ALEX!" He slaps him.

"Huh!?"

"Stop it."

"B-

"Stop."

Alex looks ready to cry.

"No - no we're not doing this right now Alex-"

"B-"

"No you're going to relax. Breathe."

"B-"

"BREATHE!"

And Alex matches his chest, rising and falling slowly.

"Wh-where are we?" He asks, sniffling and shaking.

"It's complicated… we're dead - but not dead?"

"L-like purgatory? That isn't-"

"It is real. Everything you see is real. It's easier once you swallow it."

"I-I- wha-" 

Jay oddly snaps, "GET OVER IT WILL YOU!?" 

Alex nods miserably.

"Are you … ok?" He asks.

"I'm doing fine - I'll prove it to you!"

"WAHOOOOO!" He leaps off the cliff - god he missed the ocean, as he crashes into the water at a needle point.

He resurfaces to screaming at the top of the cliff.

"Jay! Jay god no what are you doing! Jay!"

"I'm alright Alex…"

"No no no no no! Get back up here, now!"

He scrambles down to the beach pacing desperately in the black sand.

"Jay please…."

Jay gets back on the shore, ringing the water from his clothes magically.

"How did you-"

"Learn and walk - let's go."

"Where are we going? Jay?"

"We have - stuff to do - let's go."

"Is there anyone else here?"

"Tim Brian and Jessica come _on_ -"

"WHAT!?"

Jay wheels around, purple flashing.

"Holy fuck, can you be quiet? 'uhb-uh-what?' get used to it princess, just follow me and _shut up._ "

"S-sorry…" 

Jay's eyes roll back and he falls to the ground - muscles tensing up.

"Jay! Hey - speak to me buddy! Come on!" He tries cushioning Jay from the rocky earth, his eyes are going crazy, like cartoon slot machines.

Then he gasps.

"I'm alright - I'm alright!"

"Jay-"

"That happens sometimes - don't worry we, we can't die here… injuries just heal over time. I didn't mean to yell at you - I don't know what overcame me…"

"It's alright…" Alex believes, inside, that he deserves it.

He brushes the lichen and sea spray off his pants.

"Let's just … Go."

"…. Ok" But he has to tug his arm to get them moving.

Jay isn't quite sure where they landed - but he sees a town in the distance, and once Alex figures that out too - he digs his heels into the ground.

"No no no no no no-"

"Alex … please I'm tired."

"Let go of me Jay, just go without me."

"Alex no. Stop acting like a baby."

"How am I acting like a baby! I killed you, I killed everyone, I died, and now I'm suddenly awake in nowhere land and it's barely been ten minutes!"

Jay wants to comfort him, to tell him everything, but some strange fatigue holds him back. It feels like he weighs a thousand pounds. It's exhausting to speak, even to think.

"Mmmm … you know totheark? Well we are going to the ark. They'll fill you in." He fights him, but Alex does walk eventually with some encouragement, step at a time, holding Jay's hand like a vice. His breathing is fast, and his eyes bounce around, shoulder tense and caving in on himself as they approach the empty town.

"Hey Alex-"

"WHAT!" He jumps in the air "Sorry - what?"

"You probably need glasses, don't you?"

"Actually … I can see perfectly … I don't know how…"

"Oh … it must be Helena then - still we might be able to get you a back up pair."

"W-who? ... Where are we again?"

"The ark."

"You … said that already didn't you…" He sighs, and Jay continues their walk.

"Who's Helena?"

"You'll know - I don't know later, please Alex I need to get home and I'm not leaving you here. I went through a lot of shit to bring you back.

[(Sneaky Snitch - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/-SjOkb3kVgI)

They walk in silence for a while, until reaching a dead fountain of stagnant water.

"We should be able to cross through here to the town."

"Ah - ah wait! Wait- Jay I can't-" He pulls his arm back, looking as if he's about to bolt.

"We can stop for a while Alex - but I won't let you run away." It comes off as more of a warning than a reassurance.

"Ok… Ok just the night … please..."

They stop in the abandoned town - and do for several days, until Alex is ready.

Jay has a feeling that's going to be never. He tries talking to Alex again, now that he might as well - but Alex jumps off his hind everytime he speaks about someone they know. He managed to give him a rough explanation of where they are and what happened - he kept getting really hung up on the Devil part believing they were in hell. Even in sleep Alex looks distressed, brows constantly twitching on edge. He's had about three breakdowns this morning alone and Jay hadn't slept, and he can keep hearing Helena whisper " _you're being quite a shitty friend"_ but he can find no energy, as if it's all been sapped from him.

As for Alex and his new head voice … well, it was going as well as it could...

This morning Jay sits at the bar of an abandoned diner - still, all and any vibrant color is stripped away to be in shades of blue, green and gray.

"Jay!" He whips around to the previously silent Alex, afraid he's going to go into another breakdown.

"Jay … it keeps -" he notices the vines protruding from under his shirt "- it keeps REARRANGING the glass menagerie and it's DRIVING ME _INSANE!"_

Jay covers his mouth trying not to smile.

"I'm **serious**! It keeps putting all this … crap! In my pockets!" He pulls out an antique feather fan "I can't hold onto this! Every goddamn time I wake up it's made some trash fort around me! PLEASE Jay, MAKE IT STOP." He gestures wildly trying to kick at the little hoarder pile, and watches as the vines swat and fight with Alex over a glass vase.

He falls out of the highchair laughing.

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" He tries shooing a vine away. "And it keeps TELLING me to try these antique, itchy ass clothes on!" He stands up, hobbling out of the mess, holding an old, ratty dress. "You see THIS Jay! Someone probably DIED. IN. THIS!"

He wipes a tear from his eye, pushing himself to sit back on the stool.

"I - I think you have to talk to it - then."

"It keeps calling me an angry baby!" He stomps his foot.

"I mean you kind of are."

"JAY!"

" _Aha - ha_ , Stop it Alex you're _killing me_."

[(Wounded - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/B5eNhrAjyhs)

Alex's words die, and he slips to the ground.

"No Alex - I didn't mean it that way…"

" _I know_." He whispers. "I know …" He inhales, hiding his face. He was really trying not to get upset so frequently, but no amount of 'I'm sorries' seemed to feel right. 

"Alex … like I said … we can find them, we can bring them back, and fix everything…" 

He swivels his head, hands flying off.

"What the hell am I supposed to say to everyone Jay!?! 'Sorry I cracked your head in with a crowbar! Sorry I burnt your house down and killed everyone you loved! Sorry I shot and killed you - Jay!'" His throat hiccups at that point and he stops talking. 

"I mean, an apology is a better start than nothing. It's - something." He mumbles.

Alex sits on the floor, turning his back to him in a little ball. Jay kneels next to him. His sudden proclamation of emotion seems to return some kind of energy to Jay. He can do this.

He sucks in all the dumb courage he possesses.

' _Well here goes nothing.'_ Jay hugs him from behind, pulling him out of his protective ball.

"What are you doing …" he murmurs, more of a statement then a question.

"Look, we weren't all the most supportive people before this … probably could've avoided a lot of shit if we had stepped in earlier, and if you opened up about it. But … that might be partially our fault … or society's fault - who knows anymore. But I've already died once, I frankly don't care what people think anymore."

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing-"

"-I'm hugging you stupid!" Alex goes limp in his arms, leaning forward.

" _I'm sorry_." A painful sound lurches from his throat. A choked cry of grief. " _I'm sorry Jay."_

It punches his gut to see Alex shrinking into himself, bleeding over with guilt. Sobs wrack him, turning him small and feeble.

He doesn't say anything, crouching behind Alex and leaning his head into his curled spine, trying to rub soothing circles in his back.

"What do I do Jay?" He sniffs, taking a shuddering breath. "I don't know what to do…"

"We're going to figure it out. We just don't know yet … we'll get there."

Alex cries silently for a few more minutes.

"I'm going to fix them …"

"We'll fix them, all of us, together. Separation is what beat us last time."

He sucked in a breath, "Right … together…"

With that, he takes Jay's hand, vines entwining his own arm and holding on to Jay, and he gently pulls Alex along. They walk together, towards the water.

"Ready?"

"... Yeah…"

With a splash, they are swallowed, leaving the town abandoned once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so I have to watch the chapter count, so some of the updates are going to be slightly less frequent, but each chapter will be a bit longer when I do update in the next coming act.


	64. Dirty Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Totheark makes his return.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Alex uses the power of DRUGS

[(Bent and Broken - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/5VNgdnunCxs)

The mountains are cold and rainy 24/7.

Nothing in this cave tells him anything promising, he's gone over his own history, and countless others.

He doesn't get hungry, or tired anymore.

It's like being Totheark.

He _is_ Totheark.

His heart is cracking. It took him so long, he thinks with pride. But he can't take it anymore. Tim is missing. Jay might as well be _dead_. He was so _stupid_ to think it could ever get better. It was just some tease to him, some final stab to his broken body.

So he _left._

He left and became Totheark once more - but this time, he's come to a different conclusion.

It's all _their_ fault. The angels. This is _their_ war….

He's going to kill every last angel before he goes. It's _their_ fault. They took any chance of happiness from him. His family, his friends, his life - gone. He will never be human again. 

Maybe, somewhere deep down - which he wouldn't acknowledge - he knew they weren't the enemy. But frankly, by this point, it doesn't matter. Thirteen years of angels and bullshit.

Enough. 

What was one dead going to do? 

Besides - no one would miss **The Devil.**

\- 

[(Chase Pulse - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/zVY8PaRF1jE))

His coat flaps in the wind as he overlooks the city once more, for the first time in years.

He walks like a misnomer in the gray daylight. A slow rolling wave of hate, an invisible current flowing around and between his legs.

He has a new _tool_ , a special set of irons imbued with magic - something to rival The Devil's own shield and _kill. Them._

No one is out today. _Perfect_. He walks undisturbed towards The Devil's resting abode - before he can even knock, the door opens to a tall man. He leads him in, giving him the necessary oxygen, not even _trying_ to stop him. He points up the narrow staircase.

Totheark goes up.

He knows where they are, can feel it, and he enters the room without a greeting, letting the door shut behind him with a groaning click.

They're much weaker than their usual appearance. He can smell it under all that gear. A body threatening to rip open at any moment, rotting flesh and garbage, Still human to a certain extent - perhaps.

There isn't any fight left - not when 37 is mid-nap. No power. _Maybe this would be easy for a change._

No - that is silly to think.

In a burst of smoke another Firefighter lashes at him, axe barely missing, as he shoves them back with the crowbar. They're smaller in stature, 'ten' em-blazened on their helmet. Brian has no problem overpowering them.

" _Voly'na~"_ The devil speaks. They straighten up too attention. The devil shifts from the bed.

One bare foot after the other touches the old floor boards. Their skin is so sickly, bloodless, he can't even discern their race. Like they'd stripped away all and any human traits. Dead eyes struggling to stay open. He doesn't even know it's him.

"I'm not in the mood right now Justice. I'm tired. Come back another time." 

_"Hate~"_ He manages to slur out, as he smashes into their head with the crowbar. He expects more of a fight - they fly into the wall, all the way across the room. Like a rag doll.

' _Kill The Devil.'_

Their "friend" doesn't move an inch. _'Awaiting orders. Oh well.'_

They slouch on the floor, briefly flashing a deadly red color before returning to look like him. Their dislocated jaw does not heal immediately like it should.

The advantage is his. 

A hand grossly snaps the bone back in place.

"A corrupted soul, breaching the divide. How clever. You probably can't even understand me anymore."

They push to their feet with a click of bones.

"Did you really think those would _kill_ me?" They gesture at the set of irons, before snatching them with disgust - smashing them like sticks and twigs for a fire. 

"Even if I didn't fight back it wouldn't work." They grab a long pole leaning in the corner of the room, sharp end shining, with a little rounded hook, walking back over. He won't be intimidated - charging them again-

"GAH!" The boot slams hard into his sternum, cracking his ribs as he smashes into the wall. They jump, back perching on the end of their bed, the pike hanging out to the side at an angle.

He sees past the facade - and sees their _real_ face, shining red in a cracked permanent smile - _oh merciful god - what hast thou done?_

" **What if I killed you**?" In one long swoop, the end of the pike slashes through his neck, in a crimson arc.

His eyes go wide, pupils pricked, staring up at The Devil in disbelief, his hands coming up to his throat.

It's too much blood for Eadala to stop.

_Fuck._

_Fuck_.

He's dying.

He's actually dying. 

"-But I was a liar." And immediately the wound is gone. The cut, the pain, blood and all. He is fine.

As for them - they look awful, dragging their now gray body into bed. Falling just like that.

' _What - is - wrong - with - them?!'_

"Put them outside please." In moments he is seized, a window snapping open - the woods of invading oxygen - and he's thrown into the street below. He lands on his feet, standing taller than he remembers but pays no mind towards it.

' _NO!'_

He is so ANGRY. He would be taken seriously! Kill them and then - then - then -

"Brian - is that you?" Jay. He doesn't remember why he was so concerned about Jay. What happened to Jay? Who's Jay? He turns, baring his tusks. Rip the angel right out of him. Yes. _Do it_. 

Stepping forward - looking in a puddle - is that... himself? His face is covered in thick black distortion, white holes for eyes, pincers like a beetle.

What's happening?

"Hang on Bri, it's gonna be ok." Jay speaks. He clicks and screeches at the man - then an echoing noise to his right. Down the alley.

**Alex.**

**_Fucking._ **

**Kralie.**

His free arm turns into a long, pinching claw and he charges - dead set on ripping the bastard apart.

He looks a bit nervous. _Good_.

Brian trips before reaching him, and is pulled into the air by the ankles - Being ensnared, tangled, immobilized. He rages and lashes out, but every attack is stopped by even more of the lengthy, rope-like extrusions, like fighting a hydra.

The smell of grapes hits him and he breathes the perfume deeply.

The vines of wrath wrap snug around his torso. But it feels - kinda - nice. 

Comfortable.

He couldn't care to grip the metal bar anymore and it is gently pulled from his hand.

'Sleeeeepppyyyyyy _timmmmeeee.'_ It's so warm and happy, like the sun had curled up, and he doesn't try to fight that peaceful sleep, purring away at him like a content cat. 

-

[(Distant Tension - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/7HTQ0XjIGRs)

"Holy crow it worked…" Alex breathes. The corruption is eaten away by the vines - leaving Brian zonked out and drooling from the strange gas.

Jay pokes Brian's shoulder. "I think he's going to be out for a while." Whatever he is dreaming is pleasant, a smile on his dopey face.

They'd been on the way - only to notice Brian acting … strange. Ok - it was Helena that warned them.

He looks at Alex, the vines wrap under his jacket, and down his arms and torso, picking and fussing with his hair - he's already gotten used to it.

Jay has the urge to go over and rub Brian's head and kiss his hair - but before he can do that, another more powerful surge of … disgust? _'Weakling … Eadala never could do anything but meddle…'_

"Isn't this incredible Jay!? I can - I can- holy shit! I can - save people? Is that what happened to everyone else? I can - I can find them Jay!" His eyes brighten for the first time in - well, a decade.

But Jay is … 

His eyes dart side to side, pulsing, pin-pricked, whistling in his brain loud and grating. It feels like his jaw is stuck slack, drool runs down his face.

Someone is loudly arguing again in his skull - some woman - and yet he can _see_ that woman standing across the street, watching him.

 _'Why are you here?'_ He asks.

 _'I don't know man, you tell me…'_

He didn't expect a reply.

' _Oh … nice to meet you …'_

' _You're not looking too good man…'_

_'What?'_

"Jay?" He's snapped back to reality. Alex gives him a suspicious look, and he can feel the judging senses of Helena as well.

"Are you ok?"

 _'You are going down a dangerous path Alna…'_ Helena whispers to him, and only him.

_'I know what I'm doing.'_

"Yeah, I'm alright, just zoned out for a second."

-

Tim and some others follow the odd commotion heard down the street, as he approaches, he sees the unmistakable outline of Jay, talking to another man, tall and wrapped in vines.

Alex.

[End of Act 2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapters will be starting after this! I will try to upload every Sunday, but we will see, my life is a shit storm right now. This is my only solace.


	65. [Act 3: All Together Now] Man to Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Alex have a long awaited talk - the last time they've seen eachother being at one another's throats.  
> Jay(?) cares for Brian - but something is up.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Everyone's finally starting to get their shit together and talk about their feelings but Jay's like "Nah fuck that y'all gonna love what I'm about to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day early for you my lovelies 😚 I've been dying since March to publish Tim and Alex's dialogue.

[Act 3: All Together Now]

[(Relent - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/9M42GaCWMyM))

"Jay!"

On one hand, Jay's relieved and happy to see Tim again. But on the other hand he had lied - _again._ How many times would he keep lying to him?

"I need some time alone …" He brushes Tim out of the way like a piece of lint and walks off - leaving Tim to face Alex alone.

Alex has about the same look he does - The 'Oh shit I'm going to self-implode now.'

"Umm … well … that was … a cold shoulder…" He rubs his neck, staring at Alex's shoes, noticing the vines are moving on their own - and they're starting to make their way over to Tim.

"H-hey!" Alex yells at the ground. "Stop that!" 

God it's frickin weird to hear his voice after all this time.

"Guess you uh … aren't controlling that…"

"No… unfortunately…" His eyes travel over Alex's neck, cringing at the pink scars there. And then, Alex does something he's never seen before in his behavior. The previously authoritative director curls in on himself, picking at his thumbs.

Well, Tim would rather face it now then let it bother him all day. ( _Wow what a change…)_

"We should … talk…"

Alex squeaks a bit.

"Yeah … umm … yeah…. Yeah…." 

They still stand, doing nothing.

"Oh umm … do you wanna-?" He nods at the empty building next to them.

"S-sure…"

Well, talk about awkward. Tim slips down the wall, directly across the dilapidated room from Alex, who looks about ready to snap his own neck. Vines slither around the room, taking stock of random trinkets and picking them up, handing them to Alex - who keeps trying to push them away. _"Please stop…."_ He whispers. It doesn't.

" _Sorry._ It won't … I can't stop it."

"It's alright." Tim mumbles. He coughs into his fist.

"So … how are you?" _'What the fuck Tim!?'_

"Not … dead I guess…" he taps his legs nervously. He keeps looking at Alex's face - his mind fighting between the angry face that almost strangled him to death, that shot Jay, that killed an unknown amount of people.

There's no easy way to segway into this conversation…

"Well … I'm sorry … I killed you…" Tim says, even though he now thinks it was probably necessary.

"It wasn't really "me" at that point. I had to be stopped. I just wish…" He wipes his face with sweaty palms. "It happened sooner.."

Tim huffed a dark laugh. "Well, none of us exactly were ever stone cold killers in the beginning…"

"That's what I - _really_ need to talk to you about I-"

"What is there to talk about that we don't already know…"

"But there is stuff you don't know Tim…"

"Like what." He leans his chin in his hand.

"Near the beginning ...I was still in control."

"Hmm?" Only a noise in his throat. Alex twiddles his hands, looking at them as he speaks.

"It had … influences on me but … the idea of … killing everyone … I thought of it … I thought of it before he took over…" He could sense Alex about to throw himself into a loop of self guilt.

"Alex-" He's interrupted by Alex holding his palm up.

"It's not ok Tim. Don't tell me it's ok. I need to take responsibility for the idea - at least. It didn't give me the idea - I had it first."

"You can't blame yourself for thinking about something, it was _it_ that decided to go through with it."

Alex begins to raise his voice, "How do you know, how do I know that I wouldn't have done it without that monster."

"Well you wanna know how _I_ know." Tim points at him. "Because behind an angry pompous director, you're still the most willing - out of any of us - to go out of the way for his friends. You're a huge sensitive softy, I can tell from how passionate you were over a movie even you yourself knew was _bad._ Knowing you, I bet you cried like a baby even thinking about killing anyone!" 

Alex shifts his knees, a bit red in the face. 

"Maybe … I did."

"Yet you still think you would kill your friends."

"I don't know anymore …"

"Alright." He pushes off the back wall to his feet "Say I decided to go A-wall. I shoot Jay. You think you can stab me in the neck?"

"I-what!" He curls up his long knees.

"You think if I killed your best friend and left him to rot, that you could come after me and kill me."

"I can't answer-"

"I kill your best friend, and your girlfriend and all the rest of your friends - do you think you can still pull the trigger in the end - regardless of how angry you were?"

"I don't …"

"The answers No Alex. You get angry but I know you couldn't even bear actually hurting a person."

"..."

"You have no problem beating yourself up though, do you."

Tim sits on a low table in front of him, arms crossed. Alex rubs his eyes, and sniffs in, staring to the right, thinking of his reply.

"If someone random hurt Jay - I would … I would beat them senseless." Alex rapidly answered.

"I almost did … some guy made … fun of him for wearing a hat indoors and I wanted to break their teeth." He gives a little puff of air, smiling and wiping his face again. "But if it was you … that's different… I can't … because I know you love Jay."

Tim's brain stopped functioning.

"I would think … if you killed him … that something was controlling you, cus' you wouldn't do that…."

[(Rusty Lake Main Theme](https://youtu.be/2FQ_pnMVeNM))

 _'Love?'_

Did … did he _love_ Jay?

Maybe like … friend or familial love … but thinking about it that way left a sour note in the back of his mouth.

Yes, he was a friend, one of his best, albeit impulsive, friends.

Friend… he didn't like that either. He didn't want to be friends with Jay - not in that way though! He wanted to be friends but didn't want to be - because he _likes_ Jay. He's tried to shove it down the last few weeks, ever since he almost confessed his feelings on the island.

But _love_.

Thinking of it makes his chest ache.

No no he doesn't love Jay like that … he doesn't know what he's feeling - he doesn't _trust_ his feelings. There's been too many pitfalls and issues in their relationship to call it "love". All the arguing and disagreeing and running off and other bullshit.

Their promises … their support… chasing after one another … that's just what friends do.

That isn't love.

Just a very close friendship in weird circumstances.

If this was over and they ended back up on earth he's sure Jay would be going his own way, maybe with Brian … maybe they'd hang out once in awhile or completely separate.

He doesn't even know what love _feels_ like.

So yeah - he would _die_ for Jay, so wh-

A surge of images, like the rewind of a film strip, words, words, so many words running through his head. _Children of the corn - myopia - Czechoslovakia - The number 37 - The Magna Carta - Golgotha…. Opus Delectum … the Levy, the Levy, the Levy the-_

"Tim?"

"Oh - no, just zoning out… thinking."

Tim stands up, shuffling slowly over to Alex. "A lot braver than I am…" He leans back, closing his eyes.

"I couldn't do it again … not after you… you know." Tim slides down the wall next to him. 

"You did the right thing, what you had too… but I guess you already know that."

Tim gazes at the cold cement. "You know I thought … because of everything I was gonna weirdly "like murder" if I ever did it, but It didn't happen. It just felt low … like shit."

"Guess that's the dividing factor of mankind …" They join together in odd melancholy. It's awkward again and Tim shifts his gaze to look at anything, but Alex starts up again, "Really though … you deserve more credit, if I'd known the shit you been through and still could function as an adult… damn."

"Our ideas of a functioning adult are clearly very different."

"No they're not, you're just emo. Sad man. Sad baby." Alex smirks, just slightly, too tired for a full on mischievous grin.

Tim rolls his eyes.

"Really though … you kept up with all your own shit … and helped Jay when his life was already broken and falling away."

Tim chews on his fingers, "He was more capable than that, he just thinks he needs help."

Alex turns, just slightly, talking to him, but not staring him down. "He did though. He did need help. He's smart, but he was alone. And I wasn't any help, acting like more of a dick than usual." He clears his throat. And then jumps suddenly. "Should've made a movie about you!" Alex's shit eating grin earns a little more energy.

"God don't give me that image…" Tim rubs his face.

Alex's smile falls again. "Maybe that's what it was … Marble Hornets … the story of a man trying to escape his past thrown right back in … sad fucking ending though …"

"Well, it's not over yet. Guess this is part two…" Tim mutters.

"Yeah, the writers didn't like the ending so they did one of those shitty revives. Ha."

"This all seems to me like some fanfiction. Too crazy." 

Alex snickers in response, before returning to the prior topic."You know Tim, he didn't have the same kind of childhood you did but … similar in some ways. He was always alone. Sure I was around and some school friends but what can a bunch of teenagers really do… You know, the socially awkward kid who everybody thought was going to shoot up the school or make Mickey's in the bathroom. Like, really lonely and all that shit, but he was a lot more innocent and just shy."

"Wow couldn't have guessed that." He chides sarcastically.

"Did you know he cried in junior high when he figured out where babies came from."

"No-'"

"I'm dead serious! Had to go home early too, it grossed him out so much." 

"Jesus…" His lips twitch momentarily, a half assed snort from his nose.

"What I'm trying to say is … he's always been alone, and he's used to that. That's how he got himself wrapped up in so much shit. Because he thinks only _he_ ' _s_ the only one who can do anything, or who will do anything. I'm actually kind of surprised he chased you down. Man …He couldn't even trust his parents with anything. I could remember him staying all Christmas break in the dorms because he could finally get some peace. He's always quiet and passive around everyone else, but the times I was over at his parents house, he was scary. Like he was holding his will by a thread. It took him everything he had not to lash out. And his parents were completely oblivious - just kept adding fuel to the fire."

Tim leans his head back against the wall, staring at the water stained ceiling. "I always knew he had a little bit of fight in him, just had to push the wrong buttons…" 

It's quiet, but only for a moment, when a nearly audible lightbulb pops above Kralie's head - Ok, an actual bulb _did_ but it was Helena again.

"So when's the wedding?"

If there were water, Tim would've spit it out. "W-what do you mean-"

"So you have thought about it that way!" Alex turns with a giant gaze of awe, the stupid kind a friend makes finding out you have a crush.

' _Dammit!'_ He mentally curses. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Tim gets up to walk away.

"Oh, come on~"

"Zilch. Nada. I heard nothing."

Alex follows, teasing him further.

"I'm not listening!" Tim walks fast to out pace him up the road.

"What color do you want the napkins to be!" He yells between his hands, regaining some of that old Alex charm.

Just until they round the bend and Alex nearly shrieks at the guy walking by - the guy he murdered in the tunnel.

" _Holy shit_ …. _"_

Tunnel-man, as dubbed now, blinks at him. "Oh - hi!"

Meanwhile Helena's screaming at him to not pass out or run away like a baby - shoving him towards the guy.

"You're … Alex Kralie right?" He holds a hand out to shake. 

"You know who I am!?"

"Well yeah, you are the guy that killed me." Alex is screaming inside his skull.

"...yeah … I'm uh … Mmm - Imsorryandiknowsorrydoesntdoanythingbutireallyamsorryandiknowicanttakeitback-"

"Dude - dude! It's ok! I get it!"

"-wat." 

"I mean - the whole dead part wasn't ok … but, I've had a lot of time for therapy … I don't blame you for it. Take care man." He finishes shaking his hand and waves, walking on.

"....." Tim ends up having to remind Alex he can walk forward. A tall living statue covered in vines.

"What just happened…"

"Congrats, you're forgiven, let's go Kralie." He puts a hand on his shoulder and ushers him along to continue chatting.

-

Jay sits with the zonked out Brian - even after several hours he hasn't come out of it, calmy staring at the sky - probably seeing kitties and rainbows. It seems his mind has granted him some peace, as he watches him fondly.

"Brian, what happened back there dear?" He doesn't stop smiling, but he tenses, eye wide, heart choked in his windpipe. Being called _'dear'_ is too much.

"Brian. You're allowed to tell me what's going on. I want you too." His face twitches, that smile finally breaking as tears spill down his face. He pulls the man into a seated hug, letting his head rest in Jay's shoulder. Brian still wears his old yellow hoodie, now tattered and stained with black and dirt - He's wearing a military vest, bandaged and taped jeans and worn sole shoes. He smells like soot and frost and _mountains_. His hair is ragged, long and blonde … uncut, unwashed in years, same with a long beard.

He makes the connection that he's likely been gone years … it doesn't surprise him with all the other stuff going on.

"I haven't kissed you in a while, you poor thing…" He mutters, kissing his cheeks and face until he begins to smile from the tickle attack.

"Come along, let's … get you cleaned up?" He pulls his hand along, and Brian doesn't know if it's him or the drugs.

-

[(Pigeon Room - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/5HXYxQtQi3U))

As run down as the city is, they have a bathhouse pristinely managed, beautiful glowing lights and crystal water in each room, and always plenty warm, but not burning.

It's here that Brian gets to work cutting away hair, blissfully shaving away the gnarled mess over his head and face, he breathes a sigh of relief, and brushes his teeth for a good ten minutes happily, then, he sits among the rainbowy perfumes and soaps Jay has dumped into the water. He falls back against the side when nails run along his scalp, his eyes rolling back, completely under the man's spell.

Quiet, nimble hands push and knead at his shoulders, and he could almost cry at the feeling.

He releases a grunt from his lungs as a knot is worked out and back into place.

An inner part of Brian is screaming in warning. Eadala seems to share in the notion, but they're frozen in place. Jay is mothering him so tenderly and he knows … to a certain extent - that's not Jay. Atleast, not yet. Jay wouldn't be this comfortable, this confident… but everytime he thinks of confronting it, his head becomes foggy, blurring out the question, lulled into the quiet ambience. 

That's another thing. It's too quiet, even for Jay. His heart begins to respond to his anxiety.

Meanwhile, in Jay's head, his thoughts circle around like the slow stir of a witches stew. Little whispers play in his ears, contradicting one another - something about eating ... eating … eating. How easy it would be to overpower the man - at the same time to nurture him - at the same time to make him 

_"One of us."_

He gasps and comes to a halt, drooping the bristles he'd been using on Brian's back.

Brian gives him a look of complete worry.

"Nothing - just a bug that startled me.." He continues with a nervous laugh.

Brian's face furrows, realizing, there _were_ no bugs in this realm. 

Sooner than later, bath time ends, and Jay bustles around for new clothing, coming back with an oversized, chunky turtleneck, in stripes colors of muted greens, blues, yellows and purples.

"I know it's not the same as your hoodie but… maybe … maybe it's time to move on." He looks at him and smiles.

"Maybe we can make some new memories with this one?" He holds it up - Brian snatches it up, rubbing the soft cashmere against his face. The thing is gaudy, but it's a present from Jay, and he'll be damned not to treasure it.

If you asked people watching from their windows - they saw Jay Merrick enter with a homeless man, and exit with Brian Thomas, a man they hadn't seen in years. Strange strange magic.

He holds Brian's hand, and they go for a walk - there's not much else really to do right now … it would likely be autumn by now back in the real world. They sit side by side at the main fountain, Jay leaning against his shoulder, cheek nestling the fabric. He was still … guarded about Tim. His feelings … complicated. He doesn't hate Tim, no, he never could. He's not even … mad in a sense … just … disappointed. And that feels a whole lot worse.

It will take some time, and some long peaceful days like this. This is nice, the bit of chill in the air, the spray of the water, the constant smell of metallic and old brick. He'd come to find it quite soothing.

Unfortunately - Jay did not have this time.

[(Powerless - Houseki no Kuni](https://youtu.be/prUmZ7KOBDw))

He feels the beginnings of a panic attack, but it's changing, swirling - this is entirely different. His head shoots for the sky and he sucks in a painful breath like lightning down his throat. Hot and cold flash over his skin, rippling, threatening to tear - it's so sudden he can't even scream.

Brian is holding him immediately, staring at his stricken face.

"I uh … I'm fine just …" His head throbs, and he feels physically ill, he scoots off the fountain to kneel on the ground, resting his skull on the cold stone. Brian rubs his back. His condition quickly deteriorates, his skin getting clammy and wet.

"Oh god … this is awful….." 

No matter how he tried, he can't raise it, his nerves not listening, his head moving sideways against the stone instead of up. He looks at his hands, clenching at the stone with no strength whatsoever.

Brian is dashing off for help - but Jay can't register that over the screaming migraine, the chest pain that ebbs out in all directions, making his very bones ache and rattle.

"Brian - fuck…" He's so uncomfortably hot he passes out.

Help comes first in the form of a few citizens gathering around, trying to place a cloth on his head to cool his sweat drenched body. Then, the arks "one and only" real paramedic shows up. She says nothing out loud, but moves quickly and starts asking Brian a bunch of questions he can't answer with his mouth - but she nods anyway, as if she understood everything.

The cries of a siren are like banshees warning of death. Why do they need an ambulance here? No matter, Jay is picked up regardless - taken on about a 20 foot ambulance ride before they arrive at the med bay building (Everyone mentally facepalms.)

The day goes from corruption, to dazed bliss, a warm bath, a snuggly boyfriend, and finally him sitting in a wooden chair in a moody-blues lit hallway, staring at a Jay whose skin and hair is beginning to match the bird.

This was a typical day though in the life of a slenderverse protagonist.

Tim, despite his fear of the place, comes nervously marching in. Alex stands off a few hundred feet in the long, tall corridor, knowing that Brian shouldn't see him yet.

"What happened…" Brian shrugs, handing him a clip chart. He scans the paper.

There's no official diagnosis - everything is too complicated to decide on one.

Tim holds a hand over his mouth while reading.

"It's like … everything just … went into shock…" He paces. "He's only 25, how could he-urghhhhhh!?" He drags his palms, exposing his lower lids as he mumbles something to himself. "This is one load of horse shit after another … I think we're running against the clock now …"

Brian hugs him. This _is_ the first time they've seen each other in years, atleast to Brian, it has been. He was practically ignoring him over Jay. He tries to think of some apology, some explanation, but it falls on a tied tongue.

"Oh Brian … I'm … I'm so sorry- I didn't realize how long we were gone… I didn't think how you would suffer… what happened to you?" Right now, Brian looks brand new, but the weariness still sits in his eyes.

Brian smiles, holding a finger to his mouth, rubbing a thumb just under his eye. He truly had no idea just how much he'd loved his friend. He plants a soft kiss to his forehead, as if to say _'I understand.'_

"I promise we'll - "talk" later … when we figure out what the hell is going on." 

Brian nods, and places his forehead against Tim's, and his face blooms pink.

He pulls back, grabbing a pen. _'Not himself.'_ Brian writes on a paper

"I'm aware … I've been suspecting that … I'm going to get answers … once and for all, even if I have to ask every weirdo that lives here.

He pats his shoulder, pushing up out of the chair.

"Watch over him, ok? I'm going to find out what's going on .."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still on schedule right now, my other fics have slowed down a bit (but don't worry I won't drop them at all, I'm an idiot of my word) because my cat has gone missing aka someone stole him for political "differences" and I'm about to throw hands - but with the help of others I'm getting close, I believe I know where he's located now. I'm gonna get my mofo baby back. But because of that I've been constantly stressed and depressed so my writing has been slower. Take care y'all, even I know from this hopeless pit of despair that it will get better. Keep on keepin on.
> 
> Also no matter how many times I go back and edit it still adds extra spaces between things and I hate it


	66. The Cave of Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim gets answers - not the ones he was suspecting - but answers all the same.
> 
> Alternative Summary: You know that scene from the Incredibles where Bob is going through the computer and all the heroes keep showing up "Terminated" - That's what the end of this chapter is like. 37 is Edna Mode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Backstory for Tim and adorable lids being adorable kids

[(Rusty Lake - Nightime Lobby Theme](https://youtu.be/H1nGnV1TnG0))

**Flashback**

(Jay?)

_"Shhh- Don't cry …"_

It's a woman's voice.

_He struggles to open his eyes, lids heavy and tacky with tears, sealed shut. He could feel something being shoved in the wound of his abdomen, packing and clotting it._

_It's so cold. And alone._

_He just wants to go home._

_Go anywhere._

_…_

_He also has to pee like - really bad._

**_"We will not be able to extract him if he is conscious … if his soul is present…"_ **

_"Then … hide it, within the rooms of his mind. We'll have just enough time for a swift departure…"_

There's silence.

_"I still think this is … cruel … making him live and suffer like this … by all standards, that wound is fatal."_

**_"I know … but he was the only susceptible choice … besides, he will have our help to keep him together."_ **

_"And after? After you defeat Harut?"_

**_"... I … I don't know …"_ **

_"You can't keep this up forever … what will become of him?"_

**_"I know … I know … I intend for us all to live but - I'm willing to sacrifice it all for the greater good."_ **

The woman laughed lightly.

_"You sound so human…"_

It's quiet, and Jay feels like … he's being carried, in warm strong arms. He keeps his eyes closed, afraid to break the illusion.

 _"Don't worry child, just dream, dream here and be safe …"_ _It's the same woman._

_He's carefully placed in a soft, though old bed, smelling like … like his grandmother's house in a way. He's content._

_So carefully the comforter is pulled over him, tucked in so none of the cold air reaches his body. He can't remember the time he'd been treated so sweetly. Maybe as a kid…_

_"Goodnight Jay."_

_And he does dream._

_Of islands, and oceans, totheark and angels, and a blue, dark city, full of weird folk and even stranger firefighters, of an egg and Tim and Brian. Of Jessica, and finally Alex …_

_But why is it starting to feel like a nightmare?_

_Why is he a ghost in his own body?_

\---  
  


Apparently - The Devil is busy. A line forms in front of them. And when Tim gets to the front:

"There's probably a lot of questions you have … I know a detour to help with that…" They swivel on one leg and point - "Towards the mountain's edge, there's a path, follow it, and go down the tunnel."

He blinks - they hadn't even heard his question.

"That far?"

"Yep! See you there!" And they disappear in a puff of smoke.

Tim shrugs, turning to Jessica and Toby, who were also in line. "I don't know if you guys want to go but-"

"Oh we're going." Jessica says.

"I do have a lot of unanswered questions…" Toby mumbles.

"It's literally a cave, what's that going to do."

"Well maybe it's a magical cave that will give us trippy dreams to our answers or we'll have to fight a bunch of corrupted souls!" Toby cheers.

"We've been at Rusty Lake too long." Jessica sighs.

"Well … guess we're going…"

[(The Cave Theme - Rusty Lake)](https://youtu.be/RcatggoeT_4)

The plains are made of a long blue grass like everything else, with a biting wind always whipping around. It's comparable to wandering the Alaskan tundra in summer, with the mountains peaking in the distance.

The Devil apparently had other plans, because, as they arrive at the end of the path, he sees the guy named Jeff, and Kevin guiding a tall man around by the hand. He doesn't turn to acknowledge them.

"Hey dudes!" Kevin smiles. "Here for similar reasons?"

"Answers - as the Devil put it." Tim gives a sarcastic brow.

"They're always up to something …" The shaggy haired man speaks. "What a fucking coincidence we're all here…"

"I don't believe we've met-" Jessica breaks the quiet tension.

The man turns to look at her. He couldn't be any older than Tim. Shaggy, curly brown hair covering a lot of his face. But what startles him - what has him staring, despite the rudeness of the situation - is his skin. His whole face is marred in pink, scarred flesh. It travels down his arms, his neck, everywhere there is exposed flesh. His eyes are distant and unfocused, slightly milky. His mood matches.

"... Noah…" There's a flash of surprise in Jessica's eyes seeing the man, but it's hidden immediately.

"Jessica." She shakes his outstretched hand.

Wind whips around in the silence.

"You think anyone else is coming?"

"Mmm-mmm." 

They all collectively take a step forward, following the torch light info the abyss.

It slopes down, just a small incline, and it curls around in a big spiral as well. He feels like one of those tour groups on a cave trip. They come around the corner to see The Devil standing smiling at the end of the decline, lower mask illuminated by a torch. The grin is felt, rather than seen.

"This way~"

The path breaks off into three tunnels - one of which is caved in. They take the group into the tunnel all the way to the right. 

"Hey - there's paintings here…" Toby points out. He's right, there are, just faintly, and as he studies them close he recognizes some of the depictions. They're paintings of _history_.

He sees all sorts of events he can recall from college classes he barely stayed awake in. Hell, there's even a depiction of the molasses flood farther in. The killdozer - apparently made its way in. And lots and lots and lots of _death_.

"Mankind~" The Devil accents.

They come to a large dome room, with several splitting tunnels.

"Pick a tunnel, any tunnel - watch carefully…"

"Don't we need any light?"

"You'll be able to see better without it."

Toby shrugs, skipping down a random tunnel instantly, Jessica nods at Tim and goes. He takes one far to the left, filled with a bunch of stalactites and stalagmites, and narrow sharp bends. It's near pitch black, and he shuffles very carefully - a shudder from memories of the utility tunnel - but the light is growing.

The further in - he swears the caves echo gently with sound. A glow too. On his left, is another mural, of a baby and a hospital, and a woman with long black hair.

[(Kevin Macleod - Investigations](https://youtu.be/u7XKvAijOCg))

It tells a story - he follows.

It seems normal, a children's tale at first - the stages of growing up, important milestones - many things he can't remember. The tunnel intersects with another in a room - and there's a picture of two children sitting in a sandbox at the park. A light flashes behind him - and when he swivels, he's _in_ the park. Clear as day. A kids playground outside of Rosswood.

"Hi…" A kid with a thumb in his mouth walks over, sitting in the sandbox, legs spread apart. A boy with black hair sits, patting at a creation with stubby hands.

"Hi…" The black haired bit replies.

"My name's Jay… not the letter J." The kid speaks cheerfully, wiggling his knees.

"I'm Tim … not the letter Tim." He says nonchalantly.

The other boy giggles. "You're silly, Tim's not a letter!"

"Yes it is, it comes right after S." Even at this age, he is a master of sarcasm.

"That's T!"

"They changed it to Tim."

"Who did?"

"The letter police."

Jay rolls in the sand laughing.

"What are you making?"

"A castle … with a princess…"

"Ooo - who's the prince?"

"I am." 

Jay gives a gleeful sigh, jaw bared. "No fair I wanna be the prince!"

"Then will both be the prince and fight to the death!"

"Raghhhhhh!" Jay runs onto the plastic and metal play set, climbing into the tower above the slide. Tim is right behind him.

"I'm the highest in the castle, I'm the prince!"

"Not if I push you off the tower!"

Jay laughs, feigning "Nooooo!!!!"

He pushes him onto the slide, where he pretends to hang on.

"Long live the king!" He pushes Jay down the curly slide, followed by him saying "Ahhhhhhhhhh!" All the way down. Tim scoots onto the slide as well.

"Oh no I fell too!" He comes down bumping into Jay at the bottom.

"Not if I can climb back up!" He says, stepping over him and attempting to climb in his flip flops.

"No you don't!" He grabs a leg and trips him as they both scramble up the slide - but when they reach the top.

"Muahahaha!" A blonde boy yells.

"Brian!" Tim gasps, seeing his friend so suddenly.

"I'm the Evil King and you're both going down!"

"Oh no!!!!" Brian takes a running start onto the slide and shoves them down in a laughing flurry of limbs.

When they get to the bottom, Jay stands with his arms raised in the air.

"With the power of magic - the castle is now …. A restaurant!"

"What do we make!?"

"Pizza!!!"

They start to huddle in the "basement" collecting wood chips as "cheese", pinecones as pepperoni, and fistfuls of grass as sauce. Jay adds a little clover for garnish.

They shovel the "pizza" onto the top of the playset - but it ends up falling through the small holes.

"I can see you!" Brian glees, staring through the platform.

Their games diverge into sword fights, a space station, a dragon's lair, as the scenery changes to sundown, and the adult Tim feels his anxiety skyrocket.

"Timothy! It's time to go home sweetie!"

"Ahhhh! 5 more minutes!"

"You said that 5 minutes ago dear!"

"But I made a new friend!" He holds Jay's arm up in the air, as Jay fidgets around in a display of happiness.

"What if we come back tomorrow and play with your friends then."

"YEAH!" All three shout.

Adults come to collect Brian, then Jay, and the families all head their separate ways.

The scene flashes again.

This time, the little boy stands in the hallways, leaking through the crack of a door.

His mother has a weird office, filled to the brink with papers and old cassette tapes. She says it was "Daddy's" before he disappeared. Tim thinks he just left them.

He opens the door to find his mom muttering in front of a body computer.

"It doesn't make sense … how are these angels getting through…"

"Angels?" She jumps.

"Oh honey, you startled me- let's get you to bed sweetie."

"Angels?" He asks again.

"Yes, the angels will sing you to sleep dear."

She reads him a story, and tucks him in. He dreams of floofy winged creatures - and faceless monsters.

[(Reign Supreme - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/rVm8pV2aTl0))

The scenery shifts to the park once more, a cloudy gray day.The boy returns to the park, but there is no sign of Jay - except his hat, laying at the forest's edge. Tim isn't the smartest kid, and he's seen enough scooby doo, so he goes walking down the path.

Only a few hundred feet in, he finds Jay, wandering in circles. Jay is crying, eyes wide, and blood leaking down his face from a cut.

"I - I lost my - mommy and daddy!"

"Where? I'll help you find them!"

Jay sobs, and Tim takes his hand. "Don't worry, we gotta be brave, I bet they're around here somewhere!" 

Jay sniffles his tears away, as much as possible. "Ok…"

They continue along the path - Jay yelling "Mom, Dad!?" And Tim yelling, "JAY'S MOM!?"

It's darker here, and even with the fall sky, Tim can't see the forest ridge - and Jay is scared of the foreboding trees. The crying boy hiccups - "A tall man grabbed them!"

"A what?"

"A tall man … with no face … he took them and started chasing me-"

"How could someone not have a face? How would they breathe?"

Jay yells and points over his shoulder - what they thought was a tree is now bending over the two. Jay screams and clutches onto Tim's chest crying hysterically. Young Tim starts sobbing too, holding him and staring up at the approaching monster, trying to get Jay to walk backwards with him.

"Go away!" He yells in vain.

"You're scary!"

The woman with black hair comes running into the clearing!

"Stop!" She yells at the monster, shielding the boys behind her.

It halts, faceless attention all on her now.

"Please, please whatever you are, whoever you are - don't harm them. They're not - they're too young for this stuff!"

The monster's head bevels in apparent thought. With a snap, the kids are gone. All that is left is the woman and the creature, enveloped in darkness and swirling, crackling leaves. The scene distorts again before Tim can see what entails.

It finally sinks in.

This is _his mother._

 _Talking to the thing_.

[(The Submarine - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/TthOE0uXwK0))

The kids play in the sandbox, unsuspecting, until Tim watches his mother walk over.

"I gotta go soon…"

"Ahhhhhhh-" Jay whines.

"I promise I'll come back everyday!" Tim smacks his sternum in a funny display.

"Ok - I'll see you tomorrow! Bye friend!"

His mother walks over.

**"Let's go home Tim."**

His 6 year old brain set off alarms. His mom never calls him Tim. Always Timothy.

"Mama are you feeling ok?"

" **Yes dear. Let's go home.** "

"...ok." He takes his mother's hand, as she walks with a sway, legs unbending and eerie, swaying like a tree.

"Bye Bye Jay!"

"Bye!" He waves until Tim is no longer visible, the only ray of sunlight in the gloomy world.

However, this room is shared - this is Jay's memory too. It shows him returning to the park everyday for a year, but despite Tim's promise … he never sees him again, and eventually, the boy becomes a memory, and that memory like so many others, is taken from him. 

Things only get stranger upon his arrival home.

His mother is talking to herself in the mirror.

**"You are certain?"**

"I'm sure … that's what I want to do …"

**"Then I will protect him … but I cannot guess what will happen to your soul…"**

"I know … Thank you … Alnassik."

" **I will cut your bindings… no angel will longer be able to possess you, ever again. In return, Tim will become a vessel for one of my own. And we will protect him**."

...

 _'What!? Alnassik?'_ Before he can process the vision changes again.

[( Your Destiny - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/q6RAhkYX_2A))

He recognizes this vision- the memory that ended back in that strange facility. The woman - his mother, kneels in front of the little boy.

"Timothy - I-" She stalls taking his face in hand. "There's no apology I can offer. Never. I don't even know if you will remember me … it's probably for the better. You deserve a happy life. Grow up, find the love of your life, maybe even have children - get old and die. But … I can't give you that." Her eyes prick with tears. "I failed that part … I failed to give you that life - but maybe you can still have it-" She leans forward, holding his cheeks and crying.

"I'm going to miss it all, every year, every day I - I would give anything to see you again one day. But I've already given over everything." She wipes a tear away, holding his shoulders. 

"It's going to be rough … it always is - I wish I could protect you from that but wishing does nothing. But … but this outcome will be better, compared to the others…"

"Mama?" The boy questions, confused, and distressed by his mother's state.

"I hope you're strong, and brave, and smart, and you make a bunch of friends, or maybe just a few good friends. I hope you love your life. I hope for everything… but no matter what happens, I just want you to know, I'll _always love you._ "

"Mama where are you going?" His mother cries, pressing one final kiss to his forehead, and their hands slip apart breaking the memory.

[(Cave Drops 2 - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/tHw6jSjWQn4))

Tim stands alone, in a dank, cold, wet cave, with nothing but the dripping off stalactites. His back leans against the flat face of a cave, heart thumping manically.

"Mom?"

This means … she … _she_

didn't … abandon him …

He sits against the wall, shaking, breathing, his heart is going to beat out of his chest he swears.

She loved him.

_She loved him._

All those years of being an unwanted child … all those stolen memories … to try and crumple him to his knees …

And here he is. In the long term … his mother had won against the tower.

_Won._

He didn't realize when he started crying, thick and honest tears running down the creases in his nose.

He couldn't calm down - he needs help - help - help -

A warmth surrounds him like a hug. He folds his hands in a fist, closing his eyes.

"I …. I grew up mom … I didn't turn out all the things you hoped for … I kinda hated life … I hated you for the longest time… I might be strong, but I'm definitely not brave. I couldn't face that thing for even a second. I guess I'm smart to an extent, but I didn't get great grades… but now, well I know now." He breaks sobbing a bit.

"I - I did make some good friends. I had some fun in college… I took up smoking, I know you'd probably hate that…." He trails off.

"There's this guy, named Jay … he did the same thing as you did for dad … he tried to solve all of this stuff … he's one of my friends. Well he's more than a friend … I just haven't confessed yet… and then there's Brian. He was my first friend in college… he's … amazing. I can't imagine anyone more sunny than him. But I feel bad. They got caught in it too because of me … because of us… but can't change that now …" He takes a deep, shaky breath.

"But … I'm gonna make it right … I'm gonna fix this … I wanted nothing to do with it most of my life but … I know now…" He hides his face in his knees.

"I know now…"

[(Cave Drops 1 - Rusty Lake)](https://youtu.be/fWmv8CJKI1A)

Down Jessica's way, she sees much of the history she already knew. Nothing suspicious, nothing weird about her childhood - well _weird-er_ \- until she reached the day she went for that drive. It was a wrong time, wrong place scenario, the moment she was marked by that thing. She sees a cop looking for a kids missing bike in the woods, before being cornered and "chosen." Chosen to "ascend." It's all disgusting to her. No feeling human deserved that. Not even … "pigs.." She sighed.

Life is … complicated.

She grew up with a very black and white world view. Good and evil - and you could only be one kind.

That obviously hadn't been true. 

Human morality is so complex person to person, it makes her head hurt. She leans against the cool stone - and like magic, it clears her migraine away.

She wonders how Toby is doing….

-

Toby sees much of his life involved with the Administrator. Old pains he already knew well enough. It affected everything - well, except his father. His father was just a shithead. It's like … he was bred for this purpose. Set up. All a _set up._

He had everything to do with the night of the crash, even down to changing the lengths of the roads, so they would collide with the driver at the same time. Changing the 911 call so they diverted elsewhere - even changed the radio to some song called the "Hungarian Dance"?

"What the fuck…" That's about all he can say to it all

The Administrator pulls everything like dancing puppets … for what? To turn him into what? He could've just taken him as a baby then do all … this.

The only time his tunnel changes is when he meets Jessica - suddenly it veers right, and the Administrator appears less and less.

He finally made his own decisions at that stage...

At many points, he intersects with his sister's own tunnel, and so he goes down hers, all the way to the accident.

But.

It keeps going - beyond the accident.

The next murals are scratched out or fuzzy, but they're there … just … muffled. He leans his head against the wall, as if he could still hear her in those memories.

"I'll get to the bottom of this Lyra …" 

But right now … the living are up ahead. As he approaches the end of the cave, it's almost as if the weight of his past begins sliding off his shoulders.

-

Tim's tunnel comes to an end in a large domed room, lit up well. No art is detailed here, but he sees where hundreds of other paths converge into the room. He already sees Jessica poking her head out of one.

"Hey." She says.

"Hey."

"Find what you're looking for?"

"Not … exactly but, it was … enlightening."

"Good for you." She smiles. "It was mostly stuff I knew but, at least it confirmed what was real and what was an illusion… puts it in a third person perspective you know?"

"Yeah…"

Toby comes out next and rushes over to Jessica like a little kid - except that little kid has a few inches on her- and hugs her tightly.

"Woah! What got into you."

"Mmm - nothing …. Sad stuff…"

It takes a little longer for Kevin and Noah to arrive. Noah is somehow angrier.

Kevin has definitely been crying, but still gives a warm smile.

They all had done some crying, Tim guesses.

Then Jeff comes out. 

"That was literally two hours of my life - I learned nothing new." He says dryly, and Kevin laughs. He turns to the others. "I hope your experiences were more enlightening."

"... Very." Is all Tim would say.

"Well _I_ found out Firebrand knew about this place - and didn't say _shit._ " Noah snarls.

"I'm sure he had … a reason…" Kevin says, but it lacks his usual hope. His memories only served to bring back the abuse he suffered under the Observer, under the Administrator. Noah was always openly angry - grumpy, but soft on the inside, when they're alone. Kevin tries to be happy - because he knows how shitty everyone's lives can be. But he's human, he gets mad too, and when he does, (Noah will never admit this) It scares the shit out of the taller man. "Demons run when a good man goes to war." Kevin "snaps" differently then Noah. He gets quiet, eerily so, eyes hidden behind those glasses. He always breathes heavily, leaning against a desk usually - and he shakes with anger - enough that Noah can feel it in the floorboards of their old apartment.

He preferred Kevin smiling.

[(Echoes of Time - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/uRDDOlGlHpk))

"They most certainly did have their reasons." The Devil startles them. "Follow me."

Like the world's worst tour guide, they start giving a spiel about the place. "We're heading to the darkest part of the cave - I mean the oldest - not darkest - if it were the darkest how would we see!?"

It's a very.

Very.

 _Very_. 

Long walk.

Tim swears they've been doing this for twenty minutes now.

Finally it opens up into a large atrium - there is a flat wall I'm the center filled with portraits. Some familiar, some new, some antique, and some futuristic. Even a few dead celebrities as well.

But they're all….

Everyone but Noah seems to realize what they're for, shocked gasp sending through them.

"Kevin … what's on the wall…" Kevin doesn't answer in silence.

"Kevin, tell me!"

"P-pictures …"

"This can't be real …" Tim breathes, looking at the rows and rows of faces, each with different locations and markings.

"But it is." The Devil creeps up on them, and slowly walks over, tracing their gloved hand down the photographs carefully so.

"Each one, a person. A life. Tagged and marked. Like property." Their head turns, red eyes glowing under the plastic mask.

"... What is it.." Noah asks again.

"A market - every human, creature, being here on this wall - is marked at a price - in the perspective of the Tower. Essentially, the bounty's on our heads." They stand straight, addressing the group.

"It's been here longer than I have … which is why I knew you were all coming."

Then Jeff mumbles, "What are the red X's for …" But by the time, he's already guessed.

"Those... that are … dead." Their hand curls into a shaking fist against a certain picture. "Or at least … those he believes are dead…"

It's all deathly quiet.

Tim sees his mother. X.

Toby sees his sister. X.

Jessica covers her mouth in a quiet sob - she sees her parents. X.

Kevin's eyes leak behind his glasses, year long suspicions finally confirmed. Noah shudders next to him.".... He's up there … isn't he Kevin … Kevin?"

"Yes … he's … he's gone …" Noah stares in silence, eyes unfocused as tears spill down his face. He does not yell. He does not peep. He does squeeze Kevin's hand, in a bruising grip.

"How come … I died - my picture isn't crossed out..." Is Jeff's next question.

"You're correct - some of you did die, but your souls are free from it. So you died … but you're not "dead."

The Devil takes a deep breath of the respirator. This is where we all sit on the food chain. Do you understand, now - how crucial it is - _this place._ " The Devil isn't laughing for a change. " _This place_ … is where the first stand was made … the first act of righteous defiance against him. Of course - we've all defied him in our own ways - but this was the first _true_ thorn in his side…."

Tim's eyes scan over the pictures, growing towards the top - the bounties are in order by rank - he notices The Devil's picture is lacking any information - _The Tower knows very little about them. Their_ photo has a high number under it, nearly at the forefront of the bounties. The only two ahead of them are … a thing called "Habit" and …

Himself.

Some of the others in the cave are looking at him - now he knows why. He shakes, but asks the question.

"Why … me?" He sweats.

"I -" He waits on the fateful words from 37 - why the hell could he be so high on the list!? Higher than The Devil? Higher than - all those other angels on the list.

"I do not know." His racing heart only calms a little bit. "It's something that's puzzled me too, I frankly must admit..."

He scans further down the list - watching as two pictures magically swap themselves, just behind the 3rd spot… and he can't believe who it is.

"... Why is Jay's ... changing…" He indicates the ink smudge slowly changing into numbers, on the rise, his "price" going up, rapidly, faster than the others. Given some time, he could climb to the top of the list.

"Jay … has been rising increasingly more than the others … actually, that's why I've brought you all down here today - and not just any other old day. Jay is like my doomsday clock-" The devil dabs their finger on Jay's picture.

" - when he surpasses you, Tim, I'm certain, that is when the Tower will _come to collect us all."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I detect some foreshadowing in that playground scene uwu?
> 
> Oh and Noah and Kevin are talking about Noah's cousin Milo being on the wall if you don't know tribetwelve lore that much


	67. Arguing Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim searches for answers, and zeros in on a possible source
> 
> Alternative Summary:  
> Tim and Jessica have one of those Twitter fights where no one is ever wrong or right and it goes on for days at a time because neither party will budge with their opinion
> 
> Comments always appreciated! 😘

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some notes:  
> Firebrand and The Observer look a lot different in this version, they originally were going to, but now with the TT stuff, we're distancing it even further lmao. After this point, I'm going to refer to them most of the time as "The Sun" and "Judgement"
> 
> Firebrand is a non-reflective black, masculine humanoid shaped with 6 arms, and wears several gold bands and a Schenti style skirt. Have you ever seen "Greed" from Fullmetal Alchemist, and his armor form? He looks a lot like that, but solid black. He has hundreds of eyes, all closed usually - the two on his face are black sclera with golden irises. 
> 
> The Observer is more of a gaseous entity and can change shape. Though he usually has 4 white eyes and a toothy smile. He can blend in seamlessly with shadows - allowing him to be a total creep and spy on people 🤣
> 
> I actually have a little side story for them in production based on how they got there.
> 
> Another note: Nothing has really started on the ark discord server yet, and I plan to begin events after completing the fic/waiting on some other people to join after they finish up their other stuff, But feel free to join and take a look around at everything, submit a character sheet, whatever you like!

[(Dreams Become Real - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/x2B_9bSePY4))

Everyone that day had a lot of emotions to process over the next week. Tim consoles the library, hoping the books can answer some questions - and that the silence can give him some solitude. He finds out quite rapidly that the library is nothing but handwritten books, memoirs of the citizens - he goes as far back as he can, searching for the books that had been sitting there a thousand years, dirt-covered but kept dry in comparison to the atmosphere outside. Comedies, tragedies, fiction, fiction, fiction - there has to be something informative here!? He moves a shelf back - tall and looming like the trees of Rosswood. There are a series of thick, stained books he hasn't tried yet, and he rubs a thumb over the name on the spine, clearing the dust imprinted there.

_"... Who's a Firebrand?"_

\---

"Mmmmhhh…" He lets out a long groan leaning back in the stone chair, cracking his neck. He stretches out in the chair, relaxing like a cat in the dark chamber, only a sliver of light pours through from the crack in the door. 

White, translucent silk drapes from his hip bones and over his thighs, and his arms, legs, and neck are encircled by bright gold bands. His skin is blacker than the void, smooth and undefinable. His eyes are all closed, and the only present feature on his face is his white teeth, and golden fangs bared together, no lips to speak of. His head lacks any hair, ears pointed and pierced with more golden trinkets. He has hundreds of eyes dotting his body, well hidden against his unreflective skin. When he opens the two on his face, gold color irises surrounded by glowing, ashy sclera under his thick eyelashes.

"Ughhhh - what is it Hobs?"

"Oh shut up _Calvin_." A black, noxious gas takes form and blinks, 4 white eyes glowing in the space. "That Merrick kid collapsed earlier today, and the angel Helena has actually left their rooooossssssttt." He hisses like a snake.

"Helena too …" He mumbles, fingers enclosed on his chin. "How much longer do you think we have?"

"Nothing _much._ Kevin and Noah found the fucking cave…"

" _Shit_ …" He groans. "It really is getting close…"

Firebrand and The Observer, also known as The Sun and Judgement. Their relationship can be chalked up to ... a "mutual hatred". Neither liked each other (they insisted), but they at least had the advantage of familiarity with one another. Firebrand found new people to be extremely tedious - they asked too many questions - while The Observer preferred quiet surveillance and mischievous activities - and "Toast" was the only thing that could predict his machinations. Accompany a strong wariness of The Devil and an even greater hatred of The Administrator, and you had yourselves an inseparable duo - no really, each time they tried to split ways they would run into one another eventually. Even in the older days of traveling across the realm - going their separate ways, cruel fate always brought them back to the same spot.

"Anything about the Devil?"

"Nope, same shit as always…."

"Mmmm, I'm beginning to suspect they don't actually have a plan…"

"That's likely what they want you to think." Judgement chuckles. "You know how much they _love_ drama - they'll take the most unconventional route possible as long as it proves success~"

"Yes, but I think 37 is in way over their head…"

" _He-he-he-he-"_

\--

Tim finds a wealth of knowledge on The Operator, his "collective", his associates … but nothing much about The Hermit. So far though, this "Firebrand" has proved to be the most informative of anyone. But what frustrates him, had Tim threatening to snap his pencil, is _how_ he/she writes. They don't finish their own questions, their answers are left with "…. More research is necessary" at the end. They never finish _anything._ They seem to diverge just on the tip of discovery, like they didn't want to have it written. 

Sadly, the books had also given him a look at just how small his life is in all of this. Humans are livestock to these things … toys to break and throw away, just how humans treat their cellphones and computers and other trinkets. But it also leaves him with a lingering question - why is Alnassik doing any of this? What is the personal gain in keeping humans alive? He hopes if he can find what Alnassik is after, then he can get to the bottom of just what he's planning. At least The Devil made sense in that department - they were human themselves - they had some grudge against The Operator.

According to Firebrand's "statistics", there are 22 Major Arcana - angels. Some are known and detailed - Alex was possessed by the angel Helena, The Emperor and Empress. He could collect these main points:

  * The Fool, Death, The Hierophant, and The Chariot are unknown.
  * The Fool and The World are the superpowers
  * The Tower, The Devil, The Sun, The Magician, and The Hanged Man are among the more powerful.
  * "The Lovers" is not a physical being - but rather a sensation, and omnipotent.
  * "Strength" was also like this - until they took a physical manifestation in the body of some very unfortunate woman.
  * Strength, The Devil, The Hanged Man weren't born in the ark's realm. They were human beforehand, as "The Mother" was human. (Tim still has no clue what the mother is)



Most of it is endless, confusing, blabbering information about each angel and their characteristics and backstories - frankly Tim doesn't care all that much. 

Alnassik. The Hermit.

All that is written is his physical description.

" _Shit!"_ He slams the book shut, rubbing his face. "How much does it take to get a straight answer around here?"

' _Alqamar can you do anything but just sit in the back of my head!?'_

 _"I've been_ **_trying_ ** _to talk to you fool, but you keep -"_

 _'Keep what?'_ Nothing _._ _'…. Ughhhh, what is this, a dial up modem?"_

He leaves his little study pile of books for later - no one's been in this section of the library for a millenia anyway.

Perusing the town square finds The Devil, Jessica, and Toby in a "serious" conversation as they're all just whispering - but in intervals they split into cackling.

"Hey Tim." Jessica greets as he approaches the trio.

"Hey. Umm, Devil, can I ask you something?"

" _The_ Devil - yes you can!" 

Somehow their constant "ten cups of coffee" energy never ceases to give Tim a migraine.

"I've heard that someone - at least used to - live here called "Firebrand?" Does that name ring a be-"

"Down the street, right then another right and left on the second street - if you see the lamp post broken at a 63 degree angle you've gone too far - Down that second street is a gated alleyway into a little courtyard, that's where he usually hangs out."

_'Well - Damn…'_

"Oh … ok…" he recites "right, right, left 2nd" in his head. "Thanks uh, I gotta go…" He feels jittery on nerves - this is better than he expected, but also, unfortunately, included the task of meeting a new person and trying to ask possibly-personal questions, and god knows exactly what their attitude is like, they seemed pretty stern from the book and he also has _never_ seen them around and who chooses a name like _Firebrand_ for a child -

"Is everything ok Tim?"

"Yeah - yeah, I'm just trying to-" He eyes The Devil and Toby. They're just … _staring…._ "You know, nevermind, I'll talk to you later."

He starts speed-walking away, until Jessica bounds over to stop him.

[(Relent - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/9M42GaCWMyM))

"Hey, what's up?

"I'm just trying to find some answers … figure out what's wrong with Jay…"

Jessica puts a finger under her chin. "He has been acting … odd. He hasn't talked to me at _all._ "

"He's been in the ... "hospital" for a few days now…"

"Still?" Jessica gives him a sympathetic, worried look. "You know - The Devil is doing everything they can-"

"No - they're not." Tim interjects. "I have a feeling they know more than they're saying." Jessica sighs, head turning to the side.

"Well … they do have their set of issues, just like Toby."

 _'Issues?'_ Tim thinks. _'They've got way more than just issues._ ' But Jessica seems rather … nonchalant about this situation. Maybe - she doesn't know.

"You do know … who they are - _what_ they are."

"They're both murderers. I know."

Awkward pause.

"... Are you _really_ ok _?_ " Tim squints his eyes.

"Yes, why?"

"You can tell me if something is wrong you know …"

"I'm alright Tim - I feel alright, yeah it's all a wild situation but what can we do?"

"Jessica … it's **not** alright." He eyes over his shoulder. " Those two - they're murderers, they're some of the worst people on earth … and your just..."

"Just what Tim." Jessica quickly goes from concerned to annoyed.

"You seem too - ok with it? Is something going on?"

She pinches her brow. "Tim, nothing besides the usual is going on, trust me I would've done something about it if not."

"Are - I think you might be missing the point here - those two have done a lot of _bad shit_." He whispers the last part.

She stays silent for a minute, then dropping her hand."Well you know …" she looks down, then back at Tim sternly "Maybe I don't _care_ that they're murderers. Maybe I'm just _like_ them. Maybe these are _my_ people."

"Jessica that's … insane… you're not-"

"Yes. You're right. And you know … I think I've spent enough of my life pretending I care … when I don't that much … my morals are skewed and I'm ok with that."

"Jessica I can't - I can't let you consciously think that, this is … that is mentally, not ok - I would know, you can't put life on such a low pedestal-"

"What is life anymore!?" She splays her arms out "It doesn't exist here - death and life mean nothing - the people here just exist … i-in an … enigma - whatever you call it - space of time, they're not alive or dead!"

"Still - ending someone's life is - they should be "paying" for it, don't you think."

"Frankly Tim, from what I've learned, they've paid enough. Toby lost _everything -_ and by the looks of it 37 as well with how well they get along-"

She gestures over his shoulder for evidence.

"Ok - on the count of 3, we throw these wads of paper -" The Devil says, both holding firecrackers. "1-2-3!" The two hurl the firecrackers at one another (unadvisable) and scream like kids, both doing a sort of happy-wiggle dance. Tim sighs returning to the conversation.

"Look, maybe they're some wild exception, maybe the kid had that thing's hooks in his brain - ok, but _murderers_ aren't good people. Would you go back on earth and fangirl Ted Bundy or something!?"

"No, Tim!" She growls, flicking her hands. "I don't belong to that world Tim! I never have … this place is better for me - I'm sorry you don't feel like that… but you don't get to lecture me after you killed Alex and then lied about it - you also lied about Jay, and Amy and everyone else - I'm not taking morality advice from a man who lies his head off trying to protect people!"

 _Ouch._ Tim looks down like a dejected puppy, rubbing his arm. Jessica sighs sadly.

"Tim - I didn't mean it like you're bad or-"

"I … I'm just concerned … for your health." He interrupts, "… I thought you were in denial … are you in denial?" brows furrowing. She looks down at her wrists thinking, then crossing her arms.

"You might be right … but I thought about that too at a point - that I might be in denial … but this doesn't feel like denial - yeah I was scared shitless but these wackadoos get me, they don't care about my past or my problems, that's a normalcy to them. They … listen. They care in their own twisted way - they know how to manage because they've walked the road a thousand times over. It's more understanding than I've ever got in the real world - they're more like friends than I've ever actually known. They're the illusion of what family should be - and never was, never is-"

"That's … I can't think like that …" They both avoid each other's gaze, burning in the painful mix of an emotionally charged argument.

"Tim - that's fine. Your main concern was if I'm alright, right? And yes - I'm alright. I'll tell you if I'm ever not. We don't have to agree on any of this."

Tim swallows his argument - he doesn't want to give in but standing here all day and making one another miserable is pointless.

"Fine … fine, okay - you sure?"

She smiles with sadness in her eyes, "Yes I'm sure."

"Ok … ok, that's good then…" 

She steps forward, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm still worried about you, though … I know you don't _want_ to lie, Tim. And if you're anything like me, you've tried to break it before - but bad habits require outside help, and you've got my help, whenever you need it." 

"I don't know how you do it …"

"Do what?"

"Act so supportive…"

"Well … I kinda said "fuck it" after ending up in the psych ward for the third time."

"Yeah, guess that'll do it." 

They meet in a tight hug, Jessica rubs his back.

"Just … be careful … I worry about - well, everyone." He mumbles into her hair.

"I know. You're a good person Tim, even if you don't believe it."

"Mmm." He murmurs, neither in denial nor acknowledgement. They seperate - and Jessica offers him a fist bump, he returns it.

"What are we 90's kids?

"Technically, Yes. Gotta do it right!" She does a silly explosion noise, waving her fingers. Tim's lips twitch - just a _teensy_ bit of smile showing.

\---

Jay cries in his sleep. But it's not Jay that is crying. It is something ancient and deep in his mind, mumbling names he's never heard before.

All Brian can do is rub the soft skin of the back of his hand. Thumbs caressing bony knuckles and veins, as hot tears pour down his unconscious face.

It's warm here … he could almost curl up and sleep next to Jay. But he doesn't. He doesn't get any closer than his hand.

He's afraid - but of what, he's not certain - his senses only scream of looming danger. He begins to nod off in the chair.

Alex makes his way down the corridor to check up on Jay. But pulling the curtain reveals he still has visitors.

Brian looks up at him, then away in a mixture of shame and fear.

Well, Alex can't just turn around and run away. He's stuck now. Screw it.

"He still hasn't woken up huh …"

Brian shakes his head, still avoiding his eyes.

He awkwardly shuffled into the space, focusing on Jay's sleeping form.

The vines had been whispering in his ears - but he can't quite understand them yet. However, now they make a loud raucous, and creep down his arms towards Jay.

"Hey! Stupid plant! Stop it! That's my friend!" The plant fights with him, emitting a strange squealing noise. He points at one - "HEY!" - It smacks him.

Brian stands, trying to help Alex fight back the swishing plants, feeling Eadala's distress fueling him.

_'What are these angels doing!?'_

Another vine shoots out, trying to grab a hold of the unconscious man. It's crushed by a fist, squirming to escape.

"What's up guys?" Jay smirks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, I don't support any particular side of the argument - I just wanted to illustrate their differences in thinking, and their ability to resolve the argument and still be friends, instead of Tim getting mad and leaving like he does in the past. They're both growing :)
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter but I plan to release the next sooner than next Sunday - it was just way too long to post altogether and finish within a weeks time, so here is the first part.
> 
> Oh - and also - "And if you're anything like me, you've tried to break it before - but bad habits require outside help, and you've got my help, whenever you need it."  
> … 😏🤫


	68. Battle For The Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim meets The Sun, and comes up with a horrible suspicion.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Welcome too a new pair of angels that seem smart and scary at first but they're just as stupid as the devil. Slow claps. The entire cast shares one braincell istg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know why it took me so long to get this out, lot of exhausting emt homework 🙄
> 
> Also the "How many times can I use lightless Dawn as a song" game

[(Lightless Dawn - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/6E5uY08HThc))

It’s as described. A bricked in, gated courtyard, with a plot of overgrown grass and old cobblestone. The iron barred gate creaked with a terrible rust and black chipping paint. He’s definitely in a horror movie - fortunately, not alone - He sees Kevin and Noah sitting on a half broken bench … talking to nothing. Well, that’s not anything surprising in Tim’s experience. 

A few years of playing pseudo-detective created an instinctive motion to keep quiet, and eavesdrop. But the shadows have eyes.

“OY!” Echo, echo, echo. “You weren’t invited!” The voice is sniveling, wavy, and very, _very_ annoying. The kind that almost makes Tim turn into that one highschool bully yelling `NERD!’

“What the FUCK!” It vibrates.

“Hey Tim-”

“KEVIN STOP BEING FRIENDLY!’

“No fuck you.” Says Noah.

“Umm … who’s that over the intercom…” Tim finally interjects.

Crickets.

“H-Ha-” Kevin begins to laugh boisterously, wiping a tear from his eyelid. ‘H-He does sound like-” deep breath “-an intercom! Aha-ha-ha!”

“I DO NOT!” It gasps offended-ly, and the laughing man only keels forward, clutching his stomach.

The "intercom" gets angry enough to spill out from the shadows, materializing into a cloud of black smoke, almost a solid human, but not quite.

"I can't imagine what you could possibly want to talk about with this asshole …" Noah murmurs, keeping the burned side of himself faced away.

"Actually … I was looking for someone called 'Firebrand'? You wouldn't by chance … know who that is?" He asks casually in his best 'Tim isn't snooping' voice.

"Hmm - still kind of an asshole…" 

"Well you're in luck~ I happen to be his secretary!" The shadowy thing proclaims. Kevin rolls his eyes.

Tim figures he's not getting around this guy, and decides to humor it.

"Can I ask about … some of the Major Arcana…?"

"Oh yeah, yeah sure!" And the thing goes into a long winded and the most passive aggressive story about really only a few of the Angel's. He noticed in Firebrand's writing, he had a lot of information on The Magician … but also a somewhat biased tone presenting it - It was like Tim could feel some sort of regret spill off the page - that might be a good place to start.

"What about The Magician, who's that exactly?"

"Euff- _thattt guy."_ It rolls its four eyes. "His name's _Habit_ , and he's a douchebag." Habit - he was on the cave wall. He recalls the purple tinted photo, of that Evan guy with purple eyes … he'd heart tidbits of unsettling information. To Tim, it's just another monster like the operator. 

"Habit … he can possess people like you guys can?"

"Yes - but his power is special. He can do it multiple to people at once, and he's very hard to detect - sneaky bastard! That's how he got away with pulling Brandy out~" The shadowy entity coos and chuckles. "Or - well, he was once able to."

"Yeah uh ...Where is … he … right now exactly? Tim segways.

"Oh - The Magician is unfortunately out of commission, fucking around somewhere - motherfucker had it coming."

"I've heard …" The bullshit of Habit isn't much of a secret around the ark. Many have a grudge with the entity.

The shadow of Judgement flitters.

"Hahahahaha, what do you think The Devil did to a creature so evil."

This guy really likes to talk apparently, despite his intolerance of visitors.

"... Torture?"

"No … why the hell would they do that - something that evil obviously doesn't give a damn about torture."

"I've got no idea…"

"Ugh … it's not that hard to guess - they gave him a heart - so he'd feel the weight of his sins."

"Oh … damn …"

"Yeah - that's why we don't _fuck around_ . You leave secrets _alone_ around here." The shadowy being fizzes. "37 might as well be a cursed number - they're a damn tyrant! Always laughing all weird, observing people, scaring them, other mischievous bullshit."

[(Mirage - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/1js0LprfgGI))

 **"So you, basically."** A voice curls.

Tim feels his skin crawl with goosebumps - Kevin and Noah stand up - a sense that he's being watched, slowly burning to death in an endless desert - he shakes it off, turning to find the source of the voice. Judgement dissipates.

If Noah is scary with the burn scars and far off stare, 'Alshams' is terrifying. _Terrifying_. _This_ , is Firebrand. The Sun. He stands next to and just behind Maxwell, staring down on Tim with liquid gold eyes and a row of frontal teeth. The rest of him is a solid ebony, not even a bit of light dares to touch him. _He_ is the one emitting the light. 

The Sun notices his intrigued gaze, and with a breath, cracks of heat and light break out across it's skin, like a charred hunk of wood, eyes blinking here and there. ' _Which pair should I look at?'_

"Oh great entrance toaster, just in time to answer lots and _lots_ of questions." Judgement snickers. The Sun pinches his brow and sighs.

 **"Yes, I heard your obnoxious voice from inside …"** The god - _(when did Tim start calling him that?)_ \- folds his arms, gold eyes piercing him under the cover of black lashes. **"Well … what could possibly bring you here?"**

Timothy gulps - right, right, focus on the questions.

"I read your books … in the library, and I had some … unresolved issues with them - some questions …" 

The Sun raises an eyebrow. **"It's been a long while since anyone's touched those things…"**

"Yes - I was hoping they could help me figure out some stuff about - 'Angel Bullshit.'"

 **"All of them?"** He asks.

"I - yes, I read all of them-"

 **"Hmmph."** He gives a short smirk. **"I wouldn't read those even if my life depended on it."**

"Well…" Tim decides to come semi-clean. "Someone very important to me is … sick, and I think it has something to do with all of this.

**"Yes, your friend, Procuracy of The Hermit. And you, The Moon."**

"Yes, about The Hermit actually -"

 **"Whatever I know is written in those books. I have nothing more to offer you."** Tim has a feeling he's lying. Kevin gives him a sympathetic look.

"But do you know anything-"

**"No. If you're going to ask me stupid questions I'm retiring for the day."**

"But - ok, humans can be possessed by angels, but I'm still acting like myself - why is Jay being so weird? Why won't Alnassik or Alqamar or fucking ANYONE tell me what's going on - unless there's something up-"

The Sun turns, arms still folded, as he walks back towards a hallway connecting to the courtyard. **"You're repeating known facts. You waste oxygen."**

"I just have one more question - sir!"

The sir received a raised eyebrow - but he's not walking away anymore. "What."

"These angels … it says their location is unknown? What did you mean exactly by unknown…?" 

_'Finally'_ the Sun thinks, _'A valid question.'_

" **I do suppose the difference in our kind's definition of 'unknown' varies. It means, those lost individuals have gone entirely off the map. Not a soul, not a corporal form to be seen. Gone silent, either eaten, absorbed, or dead. Do you understand what I mean?"**

"Yes … that also means, technically, they could be anywhere..." Tim links up what he knows so far about Jay's condition….

Lightbulb.

A look of mortem crosses Tim's face, and the rogue god gives an acknowledging nod, understanding exactly what they're both thinking.

**_"Bring the boy to me."_ **

Tim nods slowly.

[(Slow Ticking Clock - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/M21JkaN-vps))

It took just about every trick in the book to convince Alex and Brian to let him go after his sudden wake up.

On the edge of the world, he stands sunlight peeking out from the clouds here, at least.

He jumps, and he soars. The water comes up to meet him, pulling him into its wake.

Floating. Suspended. He wants to go back to the beginning. He wants to swim, and look at the colors of the ocean, to continue his treasure map on his little island. He wants the simplicity and the water numbing his mind. But … he also wants his friends. And his friends are here. 

The sun filters across his face as he lays against the ocean floor. It's so … perfect here.

Of course a migraine has to tug him from his restful state. He's in constant, nagging pain these days.

"Please … please just five more minutes … I want to sleep." 

He can't sleep.

He can't eat.

It feels like he's dying, but he's not, constantly suspended in animation from all the magic. He looks worse than ever before, skin anemic and almost cyanotic. Everyone is so far away, just like his body and the sea cliffs.

Shouldn't he be getting better? Stronger? There's no reason he should be sick. Oh his head hurts-

_Grab._

Panic shoots through him when his wrist is grabbed and he kicks up sand and air bubbles everywhere, agitating the pounding headache.

It's Tim - fear turns to bewilderment turns to anger.

They step onto the beach, soaked to the bone. Tim coughs.

"Jay - what were you-"

"How did you find me?" 

"Had a - feeling." Tim says between coughs.

"Well - can you let _go_ of me?" He says with a bite, shrugging him off.

"I - we need to go see someone, I'm worried about you-"

"I just got out of the hospital-"

"Exactly! You went into shock - for no discernible reason."

"I just don't see the point! The doctors say I'm fine!" Jay, at this point, is just yelling things to get Tim off his back.

"Well I know something that they don't know, Jay, and it's serious."

"Well?"

"... What?"

"What's soooo wrong!?" He sounds like an angry mom at walmart.

"You -" But Tim can't say anything to Jay. Because … Alnassik is listening. Plotting. Scheming. And god knows who else is listening too.

"I can't tell you, yet, but-"

Jay charges forward and jabs a hand against his chest, "What are you so afraid to tell me? You think I can't handle it?"

"You already handle so much!"

"Oh and here we go again with the lying shit! Look how well that played out the several other times, _Wright._ " He exhastedly moves his arms dramatically " _Why - do - you - lieeeee!?"_

"I lie because I'm a coward Jay! Is that what you want to hear!?

"You _are_ …" and it hurts even more coming from his mouth.

Tim grabs his jaw, inches away from his face. The steady hands somewhat soothe the vice on his skull.

"Jay - _look_ … there's something up here - that's way beyond anything we know, I think - _I know_ you're in trouble and I'm not letting you go down that slope. We've been through so much for so long, I won't give up on you now." There's a twinkle to Jay's tired eyes, some sort of recognition, _him_ \- but it is replaced as soon as it comes.

Jay concedes the argument, Stomping along the dirt road.

"We're going to see The Devil."

"Jay that's not-"

"Now!" He grabs his hand dragging him. 

-

They find them easily, it turns out Jessica and Toby were _still_ having a long discussion with the devil, all laughing about something rather insignificant, sitting on a bench like old friends in weird outfits.

Alex is scowling off to the side, observing things from a distance, but almost seeming like he wanted to join the conversation too. 

Even Kevin and Noah are in public, Kevin points out and describes some shimmering thing in the shallows of the fountain. 

Jeff and his friends are playing chess. It's a nice afternoon.

That is until Jay Merrick comes storming down the road like a deranged wife dragging his/her poor husband down the road. It would be hilarious - to strangers at least.

His strength is inhuman and Tim is bickering with him the whole way, trying to slow him down, and the small crowd of people split like butter and a warm knife - straight for The Devil, who's day just went from good to great.

"Devil."

"It's _The_ Devil."

"I want an explanation, no bull. What is going _on around here!_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting there bitches.  
> Gonna try and get out the next chapter soon where shit finally falls off the wagon.
> 
> AND YEAH, I NAMED IT AFTER THAT PLACEBO SONG, I HAD TOO


	69. Tenshi no Tamago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Devil explains the history of the ark.  
> Alex searches for an answer.  
> Jay is out of time.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Welcome back to Jersey Shore, End of the World edition. Alnassik and The Devil have a secret past? Alex wins a game? Alnassik is in trouble? Tim has a second power!? AND A SPECIAL SOMEONE IS COMING TO THE ARK. You won't want to miss this episode of AHHHHHHHHHH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR ANGELS EGG!!!  
> Omg the Devil gets to tell the plot of Angels Egg on  
> chapter 69 I swear I didn't plan this.

[(Accumulation of Time - Angel's Egg](https://youtu.be/j9Iuo0EbhgI))

"Ummm .... In like, what context exactly, are we speaking about because there's a lot of shit going on around here-"

"Are. You. Kidding. Me? The Angels! The fucking operator! Marble Hornets! All of - this!" He waves his hands around. "What are we doing just sitting on our asses while The Tower fucks up more people? What's the game plan, what's the fucking point!? Where **_IS_ ** Harut!? Why don't you go after him!?" 

Everything is calm. Everything is fine.

"Why don't _I_ go after him? Because I don't _have too_."

There's nothing but the wind as the crowd contemplates what it means.

"Any day now … the big ones comin' I can smell it, like blood in the water."

"And that means …?" Jay quirks his head. The Devil approaches until they're a few feet apart. Jay looks down upon them, but they stare right back up.

"The one you call The Operator. He's got nowhere else to go, but here."

The tension is like crackling glass.

"Why." A demand, not a question.

The Devil shrugs, turning on their heels, "Alright, Alright, let me tell you all a story, of this _lovely_ place we call _home_."

They clear their throat, standing on the edge of the fountains to be above the crowd.

"A long, long ass time ago, if you can even consider time existing here, Noah's infamous ark had been shipwrecked for an even longer ass time, after it rained for 40 years - rather than 40 days as it was written. What was believed to be the last two humans wandered the ark. A man, and a young girl. This young girl came to protect an egg for a time, before meeting the man. This egg was the last remainders of the _old_ angels, giant creatures responsible for reshaping earth with the floor, eating away and destroying the flora and fauna. Humans perished around the same time. The girl had hoped to nurture and hatch the little devil, but upon learning what creature this egg belonged to, the man destroyed it - with some holy object no doubt. The girl, distraught, fell into a crack in the ship, down into the depths of the black ocean. Now this next part - just to clarify, is only what the birds have told me. It could be garbage for all I know!" They wave their hands around dramatically.

"She transformed into an adult woman, and with her dying breath, spat out tens of eggs. Angels. But these weren't like the old ravagers of the past. What they lacked in size, they made up for intelligence and - _humanity_. They carried many of the same emotions given to them by their untimely mother." The Devil goes into a sidetracked tangent, "It's rather odd really, they have the same "mother" but they're not siblings, don't know how in hell THAT happened." They roll their eyes. 

"Anyways, these angels spread out over the years, discovering land forms that hadn't been washed away in the flood. Life had managed to maintain itself in the deep oceans, and from the lack of others around them, instead of reproducing, they began to split like cells, creating life to date. The animals lost any semblance of color, turning white with the lack of genes. But some angels were - _are -_ mischievous. They found they could slip into a realm where the flood only occured for 40 days - not 40 years. A few took it too far wreaking havoc like the old angels did to this world."

"And you're saying the operator is one of those… havoc-wreakers?"

"Correct."

"That doesn't explain why they're fighting though, what do they have to gain? Couldn't they all just work together and kill everyone?"

Another wicked, yellow toothed smile gleams through the glass mask. They step down off their 'podium'.

" _They could…._ . But they didn't -" The Devil bends at the waist. "In fact, it almost seems they **wanted** to intervene, no? Something happened to change their minds. Selfish to selfless. Bone and ash to blood and flesh. And - _I know that answer."_

"Then what is it!?!" Tim is close to decking them.

"But - it is not my place to tell. I'm under oath." They giggle, and change their chilling gaze back to Jay.

"So evil those things in your _skull_ aren't they. I bet you don't even remember who you really are. No - it's clear you don't, you'd be reduced to a shivering spineless thing." It's said with a bit more malice then intended.

Brian steps towards them - The Devil points at him.

"You saw it too - I know that look." They glare, and through some terrible realization, the guilt fills his face. Brian knows … he thinks he knew it all along. But he didn't want to face that reality. The horrible horrible truth that-

"Walking around in his body like a fuckin' ragdoll." They growl.

And then Jay keels forward, baring his teeth like an animal.

**"01001001 01010100 00100000 01010111 01000001 01010011 00100000 01001111 01001110 01001100 01011001 00100000 01000010 01000101 01000011 01000001 01010101 01010011 01000101 00100000 01001111 01000110 00100000 01010111 01001000 01000001 01010100 00100000 01011001 01001111 01010101 00100000 01010100 01001111 01001100 01000100 00100000 01001101 01000101 00100001 00100000 01011001 01001111 01010101 00100000 01010011 01001100 01011001 00101101 01010100 01001111 01001111 01010100 01001000 01000101 01000100 00100000 01001101 01000001 01010010 01001101 01001111 01010100 00100001"**

It shakes the surrounding buildings with a horrible noise - he spits with volition. 

Jessica understood everything, while all the others covered their ears. The one in the fire suit immediately shoots back - this time without shattering everyone's ear drums.

"01011001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 01110011 01101011 01100101 01100100 00100000 01101101 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101111 01101111 00100000 01110100 01100101 01101100 01101100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100001"

**"01011001 01001111 01010101 00100000 01001011 01001110 01000101 01010111 00100000 01010111 01001000 01000001 01010100 00100000 01011001 01001111 01010101 00100000 01010111 01000101 01010010 01000101 00100000 01000100 01001111 01001001 01001110 01000111 00100001"**

"01001001 01101110 01100100 01100101 01100101 01100100 00101100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01110011 01101000 01101111 01110101 01101100 01100100 00100111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01101011 01101110 01101111 01110111 01101110 00100000 01101110 01100101 01110110 01100101 01110010 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01100011 01110010 01101111 01110011 01110011 00100000 01101101 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01110111 01110010 01101111 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110111 01100001 01111001 00100000 01001000 01100101 01110010 01101101 01101001 01110100"

And with that, Alnassik rears his head, and storms off.

Tim takes a step - "Leave him - he doesn't intend to leave yet - just blow off some steam." The Devil says. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, I'm positively beat after that speech." Before anything can be said, they puff into a bunch of smoke, and disappear.

\---

[(Track B - Angel's Egg](https://youtu.be/FA2sml5A71g))

Alex had watched the whole thing from the alley.

The Devil.

 _That_ is The Devil.

He hadn't realized, despite being near them for the past few days.

He has a burning, personal question, that he believes, only someone like Satan could answer truthfully.

He needs to find them - but just as he goes back down the alleyway - there they are. Gesturing with a finger, slinking back into the darkness.

 _'It's safe to go.'_ Helena whispers. 

The sound of footsteps leads him through the pitch black, until he's stepping back into the building, what appears to have once been a store. A bit of blue light from the windows is just enough to reflect off The Devil's helmet, casting long shadows across the floor.

"You are … The Devil, correct?" 

They nod. Alex swears they were a lot shorter beforehand.

"I have a … question … I need an honest answer."

Silence.

Alex takes a gulp of air.

"Am I …. a bad person?"

The Devil is still silent. 

"Please ... please say something."

Gloved hands reach up, pulling the helmet up and off, stripping the rubber mask from their face.

It's … him.

They speak in his voice, "There is … nothing more to be said. You already had become the worst version of yourself - and you returned from that darkness. You defeated The Devil… your Devil."

_'D-defeat?'_

"I - how are you -"

"Many don't beat me. They argue for eons with an annoying and slimy version of themselves. Their anger manifested is only directed back at them.

I've only heard of two ways to best me at my own game, and somewhere along the way you took the checkmate.."

"I don't ... recall thinking about anything." 

"Perhaps you didn't, consciously - but your actions, your _soul_ has led you here, before me. The answer to your question lies within the question itself. You already have your answer."

He does. An answer he cannot voice quite yet.

They (or is it _he now?)_ lean to kiss his forehead, a blessing.

"My power is yours…" They could mean a hundred things with that sentence, but Alex _understands_.

\---

[(Track A - Angel's Egg)](https://youtu.be/4Lsvemd7zRM)

Alnassik doesn't make it far, falling down on his hands and knees. The weight of his responsibility is too heavy.

**_"I need more time, just a little…"_ **

' _There is no more time - we strike now or never.'_

But Alnassik, coming this far, Is beginning to have second thoughts. A hundred voices crying out to kill Harut - to go _now_ , while no one is watching.

 _Alqamar_. Alqamar will know what to do, that's all he can think now.

**_"We have to go back … and retrieve the others. We can't do this without them…"_ **

_'They will_ **_die_** _. This is the only way."_

**_"Please, just a few hours, let me see him, before we do this. He deserves to know."_ **

_"Fine. Rise."_

He obeys, walking normally - but in his head, he's dragging a steel ball up a hill.

_He just … needs … to get to … Alqamar._

\---

(Different[ God - Angel's Egg](https://youtu.be/lfOrlZajyZo))

The Operator … is coming _here_. Tim feels a calling in his feet - before talking to anyone else - he heads for The Sun, weaving between the alleyways, chasing the light, pushing the gate of the courtyard - and there he stands, waiting for him to return.

"Well?"

Tim is out of breath, "I couldn't get Jay to come back - but The Devil told us this story-" 

**"Summarize."**

"Uh …. Devil told the story of the ark - how the angels were born - Harut is on his way here soon."

The Sun folds his arms and sighs.

**"It's almost time, then…"**

"Time for …"

**"The last stand. The Devil has planned for this event the last 4,000 years. Expunging their own life force and incorporating it into the city, slowly reshaping this place into a fortress… but there's a problem with that."**

"If they're using their own life force for the city … what are the repercussions…."

**"Smart boy - The Devil is nearly defenseless as of now. They store most of their power in that halligan bar of there's. And so far from what I've heard … there's two things that can kill 37. That is likely what the Firefighters are prepping for in advance, because if The Devil goes down -"**

"-we all do." Tim finishes. "Like, captain of the ship per say."

**"Precisely."**

"Also- Jay!?" The man stumbles into the courtyard with the help of Kevin and Noah, dangling like a zombie, eyes elsewhere. Tim takes his hand, looking at his eyelids.

"Jay are you there bud?"

**"Bring him here."**

Jay backpedals, "No … Tim … I don't want to be near him…" Voices scream in his head - _The Sun will see through him if he stays too long._ He has to get away. Away, away, _away._

A feeling of pure fear and panic crawl up and thread themselves through every fiber of his being like a blast of ice, so strong he goes limp at the knees. It feels like he's sweating and cold at the same time. It's the worst feeling he's ever experienced - he'd take a gut shot over this any day. His blood pressure drops so low his eyes are covered in thick static, only a small window to see Tim's moving Jaw. His ears ring and he can hear muffled talking.

He's breathing a hundred times a minute and not at all. His heart runs a race and freezes in his chest.

Jay is staring at him really weird… not speaking at all.

"Jay? Who … who am I talking to … right now?"

He just continues staring at him.

Then firebrand is in front of him, sizzling, grabbing at Jay's neck with strangle force, recognition in his burning gold eyes. " ** _You. I can't believe it. You should've come to me first! Now you're nothing but dinner for a power-hungry angel."_ **

"Firebrand let him go!" yells Noah.

Tim - against better judgement - grabs the firey arm to pry him off of Jay.

And - it doesn't burn his hand.

Firebrand stares, face indiscernible, and raises his own arm, grabbing Tim's. No burning.

 **"... This isn't the moon's power."** The Sun analyzes it, looking between the man and Jay.

**" … oh …. Oh ho~ho~ho~ho~ho~ho~ho I get it…."**

" _Tim."_ Jay whispers. " _I think I'm dying…_ " He faints, and Kevin catches him before he can hurt himself.

"Dude you're burning up!" He looks at the others. "I don't think he can hear me…"

"How do we call the medics-"

Jay coughs and hacks forward frothy spit, rolled on his side. His body tenses up, eyes rolling back, teeth clenching down to cut his own tongue.

Jay kicks and trembles on the ground, grand-mal seizure.

"Let us **OUT**!" It's a mix of several voices. Even The Sun looks shocked.

"How many … how many did you consume?"

" _Tim … I'm so sick … it hurts…_ "

"Hang on Jay we're-"

It stops. Jay pushes to his knees, brushing his shirt off, and stands straight, an odd posture to his shoulders. He lays his hands on Tim's shoulders, swaying forward with a smile.

"I'm fine. 

Everything is fine. 

I will do it tonight.

I will **kill the operator."**

A thick cloud of black smoke obscures the courtyard, and Jay is gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Better explanation of The Devil's existence now that we're here in the plot - They defy real world laws and physics, almost like a schrodinger's cat type theory.  
> The Devil is a real, separate person, with a personality and family. But The Devil is ALSO a copy of everyone's self, a mirror of their worst traits. Everyone sees "Their Devil" differently.  
> You can almost classify it as their being multiple Devil's - and only one at the same time. So if you want you can see the devil as yourself in the story 🤣
> 
> It's about get real confusing in the coming chapters essentially everyone pointing fingers "Who's pulling the strings game"
> 
> And a brief introduction of The Lovers, not a physical being but an energy. Withing the ark, it will flow between two or more people who have a deep love connection, and can act as a minor shield against certain things - for instance, The Sun's fire.


	70. Now or Never

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and The Sun try to figure out where "Jay" has gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit shorter this week because of the double chapter last week, they were all meant to be like a 3 part chapter thing. Next week, the cliche anime fight begins.

[(Leaving Home - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/IFY_R4_es8Q))

"Where did he - where did they go!?"

" **Tim."** The tall thing calls him back to attention. **"Do not rush off. Think about it first."** Easier said than done - he's freaking out - it's his fault again isn't it?

" ** _Wright. Respirate."_ **

He does his best to calm his racing heart.

" **Habit indeed has a hand in this, but it's not exclusively him. Think about it Tim** . **"**

"He … he yelled 'let us out' … plural… but why? Why is Jay like this!?"

 **"Hmm….."** The Sun rumbles. **"Well - they told us straight up didn't they? Alnassik, Habit - they both have a grudge against Harut. They've joined forces."**

"Well obviously it's not working - Jay's dying for god-sakes…"

 **"You're correct."** The Sun's eyes flare.

**"HABIT's crazy, but not dumb. Neither is The Hermit. But they're not all there right now. I'm surprised there even is a Jay left to speak of. Trooper. Keep going down this path and he's going to turn into an abomination - he already is one. But more - empty. I can see Alnassik's thinking - combine their powers into one - but he's become the danger now."**

He kneels to look Tim in the eye.

 **"He cannot stand up to Harut that way…** ** _he_** **_will lose._** **And losing is not an option - he will take him away, return, and destroy us all."**

Tim gapes, starting to up the scale of just how powerful The Operator is. "How the hell is he so strong? He's just one … 'unit?'" 

**"He's** **_not_ ** **. He's incredibly weak - but he worked around that long, long ago. His tricks will bypass anything you throw at him. That is how he got everyone. Strike fear. Deceive. Then rapture."**

He steps slowly, leaving charred footprints on the cold stone.

 **"He doesn't have to do anything but simply exist to implant lies, infest brains, makeup secrets. He has all of us playing in** **_his_ ** **game. His world. The Tower. We keep spiraling and spiraling - but breaking out is a whole other thing..."**

Tim sighs through his nose. "I've been trying to break free of it for years… everyone has…"

**"The Devil did."**

Tim almost laughs, "Well of course The Devil did, The Devil knows how to do _everything_." He says, sarcastically.

The Sun snorts out a flame. **"Yes. Indeed. But-"** He taps his crossed arms.

 **"In doing so … I believe they lost everything."**

Tim reflects, for a moment. He's lost a lot. His life, his mother, his happiness, and any loved one that dares cross paths with him. But losing _everything_ , how does one lose everything?

**"Even I'm too young to know first-hand. The Devil was once a human, once a woman. That woman is long dead. That isn't her body anymore. Only her will incarnate. The body is a figment, a ploy. One thing you will learn over time - the devil isn't consistent. The story is always different. The mouth of a liar. The side I got was that they worked for him - how they left - no clue. Meanwhile, the story Noah here got was the woman got in a "bitchfit" with another woman and the resulting anger spawned Harut 'unto earth'."**

"They're full of shit basically." Noah interjects.

 **"My theory - for now - I don't think they know where they came from, and make poultry stories to feed others curiosity.** **_Though_ ** **. I bet their crew knows. They know the "truth.""**

"I've … I think I've heard about that before? What even is it?"

**"Nothing I know - and from what I've collected … nothing I want to know."**

"Great …"

**"I'd advise you not to ask that question. It's what drove your friend, Alnnasik, to the extremes he conjures."**

"She - they told him. Why Alnnasik, of all creatures?"

 **"That is a great question. One I don't have answers to."**

"I guess the remaining thing … why is he doing this? What's the reason we can't all work together." Though, based on recent trends, Tim likely knows already.

 **"If we could combine our powers to down him in a fell swoop, we would've done it long ago. But no, not even The Devil and I are strong enough for that. I have a "shut off switch" The Tower still can control if he can get into my mind… and The Devil… they're getting old…"** He sighs, closing his eyes for a minute. **"I don't understand … why he's doing** **_this_ ** **however … The Hermit isn't stupid … he would know this won't work…. He can't kill The Tower in that manner…"**

"Maybe … Maybe that's not what he's after?" Tim scratches for answers. "Maybe he just said that … I don't know this is all so -!"

 **"I believe you're onto something… yes…"** The tall ashy thing paces back and forth, faster now, leaving little embers in his wake. It grows and grows until he stops in the center of his own spiraling flame.

 **"If he were trying to** **_eat_ ** **Harut…"** He looks cryptically at Tim.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in -

"Fuck!"

\---

The desperate search begins, and Tim is gratefult to all the townspeople turning out looking for him.

The slithering shadow of Judgement darts through each book and cranny, Alex and Helena search with the vines. Jessica and Toby are on the roofs.

"Nothing. He's fucking hiding it!" Judgement hisses.

**"You can't use an eye?"**

"That was the _first_ thing I tried!" 

Oh great now they're bickering.

Brian is trying to get anything from Eadala - it's all lost in translation, only a nagging sensation to find him, find him quickly, but no direction.

The Devil won't do shit. "Under oath." Only two creatures might know where Alnnasik was planning to go - Eadala couldn't understand shit. So it leaves one. But persuading him, it … that might be another story.

Tim sits and blocks out the world, searching for that ever present darkness that thickly veils his brain.

" _Hey you …"_ he calls out in his head. There is a surprisingly abrupt response.

" ** _So you've finally gotten some sense in that head of yours? Finally letting me speak-"_ **

_"Where is the Hermit? Where is Jay?"_

**_"I'm not saying a thing…"_ **His tone shifts.

" _Look don't you see what he's going to do? If he eats him what will happen? How do we know 'Harut' doesn't just take over! Then we're all screwed! Look I know we don't like each other but -"_

_"_ **_I never said I didn't like you. You're just annoying."_ **

"- _That's not the point! If you don't stop him, it won't be Alnnasik anymore. You said you'd protect him to the bitter end or some shit right? Well right now, we need to protect him from himself."_

_"_ **_I don't know."_ **

" _That doesn't matter we still h-"_

**_"No - I don't know. I don't know where he went. Or what he ate. He only told us … The Magician. He kept it a secret and we never questioned it. I just assumed that was all … but there could be more."_ **

_"You're saying … he's already been taken over?"_

**_"It is possible."_ **

_"If you had to guess … who else is … 'in his head.'"_

**_"There are some big ones unaccounted for. The Hierophant hasn't shown themselves. The World is the ark itself. The Fool … I'm not even sure they exist - and if they did … it wouldn't be them. And I'm pretty sure that young human "The Toby" likely inherited Almawt. Almawt is good at hiding. Alrajul I've never met to begin with. No one has. Qua … I never know what happened to that one…"_ **

_"So that just leaves three to five... plus the magician plus the hermit."_

**_"No, there are the Suits. Not as strong, but they outnumber us immensely."_ **

_"... Shit."_

_"_ **_That is a very good term for it."_ **

_"So even with all of us …There's no telling…"_

**_"Yes. Besides … even with that, the Magician_ ** _'s_ **_tricks alone are awful."_ **

_"Jay was missing … for a lot longer than Brian … What was he doing at that time? Before the ark?"_

**_"I wondered that too … he left us for so long … but he loved us. We didn't question it."_ **

_"So … in those few months, something happened … something unaccounted for…"_

**_"It seems Alna communicates less with The Jay then I do with thee…"_ **

_"Yeah - or just straight up lying to him."_

**_"......"_ **

Tim asks, gently, _"Alqamar … If he's lost, how do we stop him?"_

**_"... We fight him. Together."_ **

_"At the same … time?"_

**_"Yes. We've had no practice, unfortunately, but it's now or never."_ **

Tim feels a strange creeping sensation, like his face is split down the center, like he can feel the mask against his cheek. A feeling like a crescent moon, white in the thick night clouds. _The_ Moon.

A tingle of new power stretches through his muscles like liquid moonlight.

_"Now or never."_

_-_

_[(Steel and Seething - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/JhIU-r9iAQc)) _

Jay busts down the door to the archive. One last thing he needs before they depart. The Devil sure keeps a lot of bullshit here. He sluggishly moves toward the tugging sensation, the sweet talking voice of an evil rabbit in his head.

He comes across a light purple mask made of stone - no, rather, Jade, cracking his knuckles.

_"That is my head. My real head. Your true guise."_

" _Ok."_ He feels so sleepy right now. He wonders where the others are. Wasn't Tim just here?

**"JAY, STOP!"**

That was Alna's voice ringing in the back of his head.

_"You told me … to … the head."_

**"Don't do this, all of you, stop!"**

But it is too late.

There's a snap of fingers, and suddenly the ark is plunged into darkness, stars shifting around until the night sky shows.

The Sun burns.

The Moon is silent.

The Magician smiles.

And The Devil laughs.

It's 10 o'clock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's gonna be one of those confusing "No he did it! No actually HE did it! No actually HE did it! NO WAIT IT IS HIM!"


	71. Coup D'etat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian, Tim, the angels, and a secret other do all they can to stop Jay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm 
> 
> Exhausted .... But it's here - it's readyyy
> 
> This chapter definitely has violence in it they're gonna be fighting, also a lot of anime physics because I CAN.
> 
> There's a lot going on in this, and I'm so tired I can't explain it all in end notes, so please, if you have any questions, leave a comment, I love reading your comments. They give me life.

[(Fish Hunting - Angel's Egg)](https://youtu.be/qFsc2ZB_C0U)

It's …. finally ….. complete. His arms arching out for an invisible audience, cracking and stretching, a breath like one's first breath of spring. A shrill passes through him, surfacing as a cry. Rich and luxurious robes that don't exist.

 _'Strength. The Suits. You all made a valiant effort to escape. As for The Hermit … I_ **_knew_ ** _you'd back out.'_

Not only has Habit taken over the body, but the souls of the others entombed inside him. Essentially - it's _his_ power now. No interruptions.

_'Enjoying the view Alnassik? This is all you've worked for! Come on, be chipper! Hahaha.'_

Silence. He cracks his neck.

_'You were right Qua, all those years of boasting really did come to bite me in the ass, but you gotta learn dear - there's always a back door."_

Silence. 

_'Oh come on you two, lighten up - Oh wait you can't - pffft_ '-"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" His laughter breaks from the cage of his thoughts. Add it to the pile of mistakes he's made today.

Brian hears it, poking his head around the corner.

_Step. Step. Step._

A lost man walks through the darkness of a joining alley, a mask of purple jade.

Eadala warns him first - a vice around his heart and liquid fear running up his skin. Once more, he dawns the old hood, creeping without hesitance towards the source of his anxiety, coming out behind him.

Jay's head snaps around.

"Stay here Brian. Shhhh~" 

It's definitely Jay's voice, but too … happy, a grinning sound to it, seeping arrogance and pride off his tongue and between his teeth.

Should he run back? Tim is a few blocks away. But by then, he could disappear. He _needs_ to make a commotion - if only he could shout - and "Jay" knows that he cannot _._

Buy them time.

With a rough push off the concrete, Brian rushes him, aimed for his legs - instead, he is the one to fall to his knees, air knocked from his lungs with a violent cough, a punch he hadn't seen.

It's like hitting a brick wall.

His blurry vision sees the toothy grin of a mask bearing down on him, hand raised to the backdrop of a cloudy sky.

 _Smack._

With the sound of a whip, Brian and Eadala go skidding across the pavement, pain in his neck, and the rest of him - paralyzed.

"Fu-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-holy shit." Jay flexes his hand, holding the hood he'd ripped off in the process. "Been wanting to test that out."

Though incapacitated, he _can't give up yet._

His neck is already mending, and the two of them push Brian's body back onto his hands and knees, panting.

"You _really_ overplayed yourself in those videos. All cryptic and shit, had me fooled there for a while!" 

He puts his hands on his hips.

"Now be a good dog, and stay, ok? So I don't - you know - have to kill you?" He wiggles his brows.

Brian had gotten over all the "useless" shit long before. He wasn't the strongest player in this "game." He'd accepted that - but he would be _damned_ to stop here. Whatever has _his blue-jay_ trapped by vicious claws.

His lips curl, snout scrunching.

_Hisssssssss_

He rolls his eyes, "Now, don't make me play the villain here Brian," groaning, quickly returning to a punchable smirk. "Pfft, Justice my ass."

Noise. Noise. He needs to make noise! - something - anything that can summon aid. 

He's walking away - the two have to do something.

Shadows appear in the thin ray of light - a puttering sound, passing up above him - the roof - the fishermen! _They're here_?

And - another giant shadow, blotting out the others, moves along the wall.

Jay looks at it too. It's… a fish… a giant fish … except the silhouette has no owner.

 _Clink! Clang! Clack!_ Their harpoons shriek off the walls, some falling to the street with pings and pains some shattering through windows with a crash.

"Are you serious!? Right now!" Jay growls.

They're getting louder, more and more footsteps shaking the street with vibrations. Single shadows morphing together into their own moving wall. They clog the thin alleys trying to hunt for fish that do not exist. 

Brian chases after Jay, dodging the falling harpoons - which gives him an idea. He grabs some of the lines, pulling as hard as he can, until the statues come tumbling off the roof, hitting the ground with a loud crumble. 

Maybe, if he can get them to fall right above Jay ….

He has speed on his side with Eadala, shifting through another set of winding pathways to cut him off, skidding out in front of Jay under a rain of gleaming metal and string. He thrusts his fists into a thick bunch of wire, bending and straining against him - he grits his teeth pulling with everything he has, until his palms bleed, until his mouth opens in a silent snarl. His heart bursts into elation as the statues come toppling down.

And Jay - he splits the rocks into fragments with his hand.

Brian gapes in a multitude of broken emotions. He's left with a fuming Jay.

 _"You're starting to be reallllllyyy annoying Brian."_ Instead of coming at him, he punches through a wall, storming through some poor apartment building. _'What the fuck?'_ The brick walls are too unstable to follow him through.

Jay swings his arm through the last wall, rubble clearing to an open street, where the harpoons are few - only to find Tim staring wide-eyed at him, frozen in place a bit up the incline of the steep road, just barely illuminated by the yellow street lamps.

 _'Urggggghhhh'_ Jay scowls back, but does not stall in his persistent march for the ocean.

He has flee to a new hiding spot, but stopping is suicide.

He's counting on something. _Tim_ , Rather, Tim's bad habit - not asking for help.

Tim could yell, could scream, but he still sees _Jay._ His precious _Jay_. He won't sell him out so easily, even now.

As predicted, Tim comes marching towards him with the same look he had in the parking lot that night.

_'Come here Timmy, come try and coerce your boyfriend to come back.'_

"Where are you going?"

_'Bingo.'_

"To put a stop to that stick in the mud before he gets even an inch within this city." His head screws around like some Jim Carrey character, wild eyes prominent behind the lilac colored mask wearing the face of an Oni.

"I'm no genius but I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into…"

"Oh? Well then … if you really think you know - try and stop me." He cackles, spinning on a heel with an air of carefree arrogance.

"Jay. Stop this right now."

Ignored.

" _Stop. Now."_

Jay gives him a bare glimpse over his shoulder.

"No." _Wink_.

So much for negotiation. Tim steels his resolve. _Now_.

He lunges, fingers curling around his arm, only to be ripped from his grip once more, so Tim moves to restrain him. 

White knuckles crash against his nose, surely breaking it. Jay cannot punch that hard.

He stumbles back, tripping as he coughs, weight shifting back, tailbone coming down on the pavement. Jay reels at him.

"IS THAT ALL THE FIGHT YOU GOT IN YOU? DOWN BITCH!"

The tip of Jay's boot kicks Tim like a sack of mulch, knocking the air from him as he curls in pain. And Jay couldn't care less - keep moving.

Brian flees from the alleyway to his aid, hands hovering tenderly over his nose - but where he expects purple and blue disfigurement, there is a patch of pristine white, smooth as the skin around it.

"Brian -" he takes the helping hand. "Go find Alex."

' _Really?'_ He signs.

"Yes. As much as I hate to admit it - his … 'powers' are better for this…"

Brian gives a thumbs up, sprinting up the road back to the heart of the city.

Tim is now alone, following Jay. Should he wait for help? …. No. He can't let Jay leave. _(Not again)_. He's gonna have to face him down. Somehow.

The two silently pass into a large intersection, a fish fountain in the center, spitting water out of its mouth in a peaceful trickle.

Jay's fist clenches, he doesn't have time to waste on this imp, yet he follows like an annoying gnat.

 **"Stop."**

His presence is immediate when his feet touch ground. The shadow of a man, hundreds of eyes all open and focused, skin charring and fussing, spitting embers into the road. The surrounding distorts, cooking in the heat. He is a beacon on this cool night.

Jay _does_ stop, a growling lion in his chest.

"Get the _fuck_ out of my way."

But the fiery god does not play these games. **"Then I will make you stop,** **_Merrick_ ** **."**

' _Oh shit.'_ Tim speeds forward - a full on battle between the two could escalate into a block wide fire. Not what he needs right now.

"Hell no, you'll hurt Jay!" Tim objects, just now noticing the quiet Noah approaching over his shoulder 

Alshams isn't one to break down at a human's desperate words. **"... That isn't the imperative right now."**

"Firebrand"- Noah says, calmy, "You're not fucking him up like you did _me,_ " fingertips drifting over his scarred face.

The Sun is still, all eyes closing until he is solid black once more, as if the words could sting him.

He breaths a deep sigh, smoldering cracks closing and cooling. Two golden eyes opening once more, a fixing gaze down upon Tim.

 **"I'll give you an hour to deal with him. After that - I'm alerting the devil to this problem, and letting them** **_settle it._ ** **"** He bursts into ash.

' _Holy shit it actually worked!'_

He has time now. An hour. Would that even be enough? It has to be, failure isn't an option, and he's wasting none of it.

(Full[ On - Kevin Macleod](https://youtu.be/4I9lUw2D9MQ))

"ALNASSIK!" He calls to the man, already walking away. He feels Alqamar's influence in his right fist, a weight like lead flying at Jay's back. 

He doesn't pull the punch this time.

With a choked off screech, Jay goes hurtling into a lamppost, his shape implanting into the metal with a horrible sound. 

The light atop flickers, before going out all together.

"Oh sh-"

But Jay wrenches himself free, brushing himself off and standing up like he just had a minor fall. And in that prior moment, flying through the air, **Mankind's Bad** **Habit** realized something: _'They don't know … I've taken over….. And if they don't … The Devil doesn't either…'_ Behind the mask his eyes are manic, smile wide, teeth bearing where no one can see. Yes, if he can keep that old goat 37 out of it, there will be no _real_ problems here. He just has to escape before one of these no-brain sycophants figures it out. His full power will bloom once he can leave the dreadful aura of this shitfest city behind.

"Alright Tim-" _Do NOT call him Timmy!_ "-I see how it's going to be. But stalling me here? You're just hurting yourself and the rest of them - don't you care about Jessica? Brian? I'm doing this for _them_." Really lay on the acting.

But Tim remains calm, "This isn't going to work Jay. You can't stop that thing like this!"

Jay's eyes fall. " _I'll give you a fight…,"_ He mutters, breaking into a run, raising his boot to plant it across Tim's chest. Tim blocks, arms crossed, but the unnatural strength sends him over the fountain.

**_"Brace yourself!"_ **

His limbs fly back just in time to cushion his smack into a building. All he can think is that he should be dead right now - But Jay's coming right at him, the horrible purple grin of the mask in his face.

He holds on to _something_ and swings just out of the way, dropping back to the ground.

But Jay is ruthless. Everything he hits breaks, as Tim listens to Alqamar's instructions, too many near-misses.

He can only move and dodge around for so long. 

**_"Let me try."_ **

And so, willingly, for the first time, he lets that old side of himself he feared for so long to take over. This time there is no coughing, no static, no pain. He can still see, still hear, clear and focused.

The Moon goes on the offensive.

This opponent has no style, but they have force.

He'll just have to hit harder.

He finally gets a punch to Jay's ribs - arm turned a full white color. It disorients the other a bit allowing Alqamar to tackle him, and aim for the jade mask.

Jay's head shifts out of the way, driving a fist into the side of his arm. Tim is pretty sure arms aren't supposed to bend back like that, but there is no pain, no breaks like he would expect.

Alqamar catches his neck with the other arm.

Jay kicks him off into another innocent brick wall.

Alqamar punches.

Jay dodges.

They're not making any progress, but at least his 'other side' knew how to fight.

**_"This would be a lot more convenient at my full size…"_ **

_'Uh yeah why didn't you do that - I don't know - WEEKS AGO!'_

**"** **_I'll risk killing you. Permanently."_ **

_'WHY AM I FINDING THIS OUT NOW!?'_

Their bickering is cut short, a hand clamping around his neck. Jay holds him in the air. 

"You seem distracted! You should be focused on ME!"

Alqamar kicks his gut, and he doesn't flinch a bit. Just a look of boredom.

The patch of white, begins to grow over Tim's face, furious eyes speaking all the words he could not.

His lips turn black against gritting teeth, darkening circles around his eyes. 

They have become one.

His icy stare becomes reality, a layer of delicate little ice spikes begin to pierce through Jay's skin. 

He throws Tim away.

His hands. He's glaring at his hands. Frost nettles locking in his joints. Bending them causes excruciating pain. Pain that Habit could care less about. It's the audacity of this _bitch_.

"Enough bullshit."

The mask springs to life, gnashing it teeth, shaking it's head like a dog, and hissing smoke at him.

[(Paradise Will Rise Again - Rusty Lake)](https://youtu.be/iiD68jN1iYc)

The Moon continues to crouch on the space he landed. Silent. The old stare of the second totheark member, but more real, more … himself.

Whatever has become of Jay Merrick, this horrible Amalgamate - he can bluff all he wants.

'It' blinks, and blinks again, the area is becoming more obscured, snuffed away. Closing in on him and expanding at the same time. Soon it is just him, and that pale, black lipped face. And even that, disappears too.

 _Slash._

Something in his leg is cut, and he topples forward. His sounds are gone too. The darkness consumes everything. He can't hear Alqamar - Tim - whatever the fuck he is - running around.

A whooping scream sounds in the darkness, no discernible direction. Giggling laughter. Then the sound of a train horn. This is all just wasting time. He swings blindly, hoping to make contact. Beat the shit out of this stubborn, obstinate, lazy excuse for an angel, for The Moon.

**_"muzijat ruhuk biruhi…"_ **

Cold, chilling breath in his ear, yet far away. He punches towards it. Nothing.

**_"kama tumzaj alkhamrat balma' alzulal..."_ **

Ice explodes from his bones, and he screams without voice.

_'I'm going to kill him-'_

**_"f'idha masak shay masany…"_ **

A horrible pain shoots through his heart, a ripping seam. Alnassik stirs in his slumber.

_'I know what you're trying to do!'_

**_"f'idha ana , ana 'ant fi kul haal-"_ **

**"ＲＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＲＲＲＨＨＨＨＨＨＨＨＨ!"**

Habit roars through the darkness, digging his fangs, his fingers, his hands into flesh. Sickles into meat. The force of his rage buries into every piece he can grab, scraping The Moon across the ground, tearing up the bricks and cobble. Screaming in his face as the darkness fades to true night. He stumbles back, ragged hateful breaths whistling against his ribs.

[(Your Destiny - Rusty Lake](https://youtu.be/q6RAhkYX_2A))

Tim lays panting, dark clouds above him. A thick haze of purple surrounds him. He's on his back. His body throbs, his clothes are getting wet in places. ' _What happened? Doesn't matter. Have to get up."_

He's not sure which is up or down, but eventually he gets his hand placed on the concrete, head raising just enough to see Jay just a few meters away.

His right arm is … toothy. Mangled. An array of eyes, all purple and pin pricked. It … it looks as if some horrible horde of hellhounds is trying to escape from his flesh. Gnashing and drooling, starving. It barely resembles an arm. 

Jay's shirt is ripped in places, as he stands in place like a predator ready to kill.

"Jay … look at yourself…" 

He pushes up onto his knees. Jay - He's sent flying again … why does he feel so weak all of the sudden?

Jay pins him down and shrieks in a language Tim cannot understand, " _You don't sing your fucking_ **_SONGS_ ** _to me, you hear that Alqamar!? You don't_ **_DARE!"_ **

**"Get off me."** He kicks as hard as he can, but his assailant only stumbles a few feet back. Alqamar drags himself against a wall.

Tim can feel his panic. He can't understand anything he's saying, but he can feel the panic, the sorrow, the longing. He wants to get his Hermit back. And he can't, he's not strong enough. Tim understands how similar they really are...

'Jay' attempts to compose himself. 

"Just lay down and accept defeat before I have to beat you more." 

Tim screams to get up, to move. His muscles aren't listening, there's red in his view, but that can't possibly be his. It's freezing cold, but that's just the Winter. Someone is hitting a drum in rhythm. In his ears. Someone has a terrible cold too, railing breath. His left side is up against some building. It's dark because he's staring at the ground - and then he's looking at Jay's face again - a blur of colors - and darkness once more. His head fucking hurts. Why is it so goddamn cold? He needs to sleep it off. Just … take a nap. What is he even doing right now … who … stopped … that … noise.

\---

[(Rynos - Kevin Macleod)](https://youtu.be/i6LoR3o2oL4)

(Because every story needs it atleast once)

The lighting of the street lamps reflect off some shiny, something fast. Something … iridescent. Spikes digging into the ground and pushing back with each dash. It's going to rain soon. 

_She just hopes she's made it on time_.

Jessica skids downhill, leaving a trail as she goes.

_'There!'_

She'd just run ten city blocks - almost 2 miles in under 3 minutes, vastly out timing her highschool record.

The moment Brian came sprinting towards her little search party, they knew exactly why. But finding out Tim was fighting Jay - and fighting him _alone._ She panicked.

"He's alone!?" 

"Tim has Alqamar, I'm sure he's ok." The woman named Steph had said.

 _That's right_. 

Only she and Toby had seen Jay expend his power.

No one else _knew -_ that secretly - Jessica had feared him more than The Operator.

They don't know.

Tim _doesn't know…._

The race was on.

She can see the clearing ahead, rubble littering the ground, along with tufts of black hair, blowing in the small breeze. The figure of some monsteric creature just _standing, hulking_ over a man that she knows is Tim. Where's Jay? She jumps on the final portion of the road.

_"Jessica, do you remember that certain video I was talking about earlier? Secrets everywhere, is a very … literal term."_

"Secrets everywhere huh?" She hits the ground, shards of opal colored crystal spiking out, pushing the monster far back, entrapped in the rock.

"Sweet!"

It seems pestered by the trap, but quickly resumes an unnatural smile with that horrible stone face.

"Aietidal! What a pleasant surprise, didn't think you'd ever stick your nose into this _mess_."

It's quickly silenced by another blast of the rainbow rock.

 _Tim_.

She wobbles a bit, now that she's come to a stop, coming down to her knees, wide-eyed. _Holy shit_ \- she was not ready for the whiplash.

She shakes him by the shoulder, shoving him onto his back - ignoring whatever the hell is happening to his face.

"Tim!? Hey Tim it's time to wake up!" 

She puts an ear to his chest, to his mouth. He's breathing, his heart's pumping. ' _Oh god I hope it's not brain damage."_

She pinches his shoulder, earning a grumbled noise of pain.

"Tim! Come on Tim you gotta wake up …" A hyacinth colored liquid starts dripping from his nose - major cause for alarm. The liquid glows too. 

Jessica has no idea what to make of that. 

Loud cracking like ice begins behind her.

"Come on Tim, wake up - you can't nap now!"

His eyes open, slightly, revealing purple orbs. She's on the verge of a panic attack. She can't handle this - she can't -

 _"It's a spell Jessica. Keep pushing him. He has to wake up."_ Aietidal keeps her going.

"Hey! Tim! Come on, snap out of it!" She bites the bile down, digging her nails into his palm.

Tim blinks, eyes lidded.

 _"Jessica?_ "

"Yes! Yes, Tim you gotta wake up, it's me Jessica-"

_"I think I died..."_

"No, Tim it's an illusion, you're still warm. You're not dying!"

 _"Why is it so cold then._ _My heart's gone…"_

"No Tim, you're feeling things that aren't there. Your heart's still beating." She folds his arm, palm over his chest. "Can you feel that? It's there Tim, it's there-"

"Who are _you_ to disturb his nap?" The monster kicks a leg free.

"Tim, Tim we gotta move, we can't stay here." 

"My head…" He mumbles.

"Come on-" She strains, pushing him into a sitting position.

"Oh Jesssssiiiiiiccaaaaa! Fu-ha-ha-ha-ha!" _Step. Step. Step._

"Tim!" His eyes are clearing, but still covered in a purple film.

It's shadow looms over her.

 _"ᴊᴇssssᴇᴇᴇᴇᴇᴇ~"_ Hissing. She turns to look. ' _That's Jay. How? That can't be…_ ' It pulls a knife from it's fleshy pink gullet, slick with purple spit. _That's not Jay._

"ᴰᴵᴰ ᴵ ˢᴬᵞ ᵞᴼᵁ ᶜᴼᵁᴸᴰ ᵀᴼᵁᶜᴴ ᴴᴵᴹ?"

**_BAM!_ **

She hadn't seen it. Jay goes flying back. Tim stands, fist outstretched, chest rising and falling.

"Jessica?"

"That's not Jay …" She mumbles.

"If you're here … where's Toby?" It snaps her out again.

"He's playing chess with The Devil, I knew you needed some time, that should keep them both occupied long enough…"

"Thank you…"

But Jessica's confused. She hears a hundred voices, individually … none of them sound like Jay...

"He's coming back." No time to think.

'Jay' is glowering, eyes purple and angry, a drooling maw of red and blue blood. He wipes the fluid on a torn sleeve, the eyes on his right arm closing and shrinking away, till it is seamlessly one arm again. His face morphs back to normal. The mask - a mask again, closing his eyes, composing himself.

"You wanna fight girl?" Jay's voice is back - at least in his octave, whole and solid, but too boastful to be him. ' _What the fuck!?_ '

She scowls, "Yeah, actually. I do."

A knife slices out, but it slides off her blocking arm without a scratch.

"Same moh's scale…" she huffs, his eyes roll, lashing out again and again. Tim aims for his side and he jumps out of the way.

"Thinking what I'm thinking?

"Beat the shit out of him?"

"More or less…"

They rush him, but he takes their throws all the same. And he strikes like a scorpion, taking advantage of every weakness they open, every window of opportunity. They come at him from both sides - Jay steps back and the two collide into each other, rubbing their heads. Jessica is kicked in the side as he goes for Tim.

They pause a moment. 

"Tim … this Alnassik - he binded with a bunch of others, right?"

"Yeah … as much sense as that makes … I guess he's working with The Magician and some others… they're using Jay's body… and they've all fucking lost it…"

"HEY! You don't have time for chatting!"

Jessica blocks an array of knives that come from nowhere.

"Does he seem insane to you!?" Jessica yells, dodging.

"Uh - YEAH!" 

"It's just … he seems … too focused."

"What are you saying?"

He throws a piece of rubble which they side step.

"He's…." Her brain strains thinking. It's there, it's on the tip of her tongue. That secret.

"He's too … one-minded…"

They're split up again, but Tim thinks about it… Jay was sick before … switching at a moment's notice, growing more and more confused and irate and _different._

And then it all stopped.

Yes he's still _crazy_. But Jessica's right, he's too focused…. Too perfect for something which The Sun called "An abomination." 

**"You know … The Magician does have the ability to control people's souls, as well as their body…"**

.

.

.

Tim kneels against the fountain, laying his head on the edge. That's it. There goes his remaining sanity. He's possessed by a dumbass.

" _Jesus fucking christ I hate you so, so much…_." He mutters.

"Tim, what's wrong!?" 

"It's the fucking Magician…"

"... Who?"

"I can't right now. I just - I hate myself, I hate everything, if god is real he is trolling me."

Aietidal explains, " _The Magician, the first arcana, also known as Habit. But Habit's been out of commission since The Devil-"_

"Alnassik fucking ate The Magician and ate some other people or some shit and now Habit is controlling them all like a big ass meat puppet."

Well, while Tim is busy dying, Jessica has to think.

 _The Magician._

' _So that's who's pulling the strings.'_

_"I've never met The Magician, but it would make quite a lot of sense given the evidence."_

_'But Aietidal - how does that help us?'_

_"We break his control."_

_'How…'_

_"I do not know…"_

.

.

.

"I think I get your point Tim…. I need a drink…"

Habit crosses his arms, standing behind them.

"Well if you two have given up I'm just going to go on my merry way…"

Jessica lunges at him, guard down.

His eyes flick back to a familiar blue. "Jessica?" She stalls, and is met with a grin before being roughly punched to the side.

"Ha ha ha! Always works!" 

Tim sluggishly rises, eyes dark.

"Well Timmy, guess you figured out my little secret~" 

Tim doesn't respond.

"You gonna go whine to The Devil about it? Go ask for help to deal with old Habby?"

Still as a tree.

"Let's see how fast you can get their attention before I start ripping your little boy toy apart." It snivels, getting closer.

"And when he's screaming in pain and begging for mercy, you know what I'll tell him? That it was **_All. Your. Fault._** "

Habit chokes out a breath as he's slammed to the ground, hands wrapped around his throat.

Tim's lips are pulled back, tears streaming down to his teeth.

"I won't let things like _you_ take anything more from me." The fingers tighten like a metal vice. "You're not even worth my words."

"OFF!" 

But Tim holds on, despite the kick to his gut, the hands around his wrists squeezing so hard he can't feel the blood flow. He punches Tim in the face. Again. Again. And he won't let go.

_"Just lay down and accept defeat before I have to beat you more."_

Ice bursts again from Habit's skin, and the scream of pain gives him enough adrenaline to shove Tim off. But Jessica's right there, trapping him in crystal. He breaks out of it - desperately flailing.

Tim punches him in the abdomen.

He swipes with a knife.

Jessica knocks it from his hands. 

Tim punches him in the chest.

Habit retaliates, stopped again by Jessica.

"How much is it going to take for this guy to stay down!?"

"Everything."

They alternate. Fists. Ice. Kicks. Opal.

Jessica goes for a blow to the gut with her diamond colored fist. Tim lands a sucker punch to his jaw- it growls in a demonic voice, and sinks its teeth into Tim's arm. But Alqamar is fast, and swings his other arm down on Habit's head - perfect blow. Jessica lays it all on, entombing him in a giant egg.

Quiet.

[(Quaritch Takes Over - Avatar](https://youtu.be/5ohiRf_lIGI))

Purple fury crushes through the walls, claws outstretched, all aiming for Tim, mask turned into a horrible, horrible face, a long snout with rows of jagged teeth. He's above him, teeth gnashing like a feral dog, breathing death down onto his face.

 _"To think_ **_you_ ** _take rank above me - a human - worthless - you dare threaten ME!?"_

He struggles to hold this - this beast back, it's eyes turning a wild shade of purple, stripes exploding like strobes.

 _"I've had_ **_hundreds_ ** _like you beneath my hands._ **_Thousands_ ** _with that same defiant fucking glare. All thinking they might be the one - but it's_ **_you._ ** _He chose_ **_you_ ** _."_ Growling deep in its throat, vibrating between rows upon rows of flesh ripping incisors. His thumbs push down into his trachea, harder than anything Alex could ever manage.

 _"Timothy_ **_fucking_ ** _Wright_ ! _You'll die like your father and his father before him!"_

With one last merciless hook, Alqamar shatters the purple skull. Bits crumbling finally to reveal Jay's face - contorted by this vile thing. Habit tumbles backwards, away from him. Away from Jessica m

"Hold on Jay! I'm going to help!" Tim yells "I won't leave you this time!" 

" **OH SHUT THE FUCK UP!"** He yells.

" **Shut the fuck up. None of you fuckers know anything!"** He - _it -_ curses out.

" **We're going to kill him. There is no discussion here! You're nothing but impeding trash!"**

He backs up like a wounded animal.

"Give it up…" Jessica says.

"It's over Habit. You've lost. Let them go."

…………………

…………………

…………………

" _Hee-hee-hee."_ It's a pained, quiet chuckle. " _He-he-he-_ ha-ha-ha-AHA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAA!" His hair is wild, Jay looks sicker than ever before, skin pale, threatening to turn blue.

"You think it's over!?" It laughs insanely - _fearfully_. "You have no fucking idea! I was the only thing protecting _you_ from _them._ Fu-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!" 

His arms seize up and straighten, fingers spazzing.

"YOU'VE ONLY MADE IT WORSE!"

The purple fades from his eyes.

**_"ᗩＡＡα𝒶ᗩᵃα𝐀ÃＡ𝔞Ａ𝐀ά𝐀ⓐⒶÃ𝔞!!!!"_ **

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only ones with braincells in this story are The Operator and Helena.
> 
> I can't believe this is only 5,000 words it took me atleast 30 hours to write this smh. Fighting scenes are hard.
> 
> I might take a break this upcoming Saturday and come back the next one, I'm really burned out.


	72. Fickle, Fickle Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight continues!  
> Habit breaks the fourth wall.
> 
> Alternative Summary: *On the phone* "What do you mean the plots too complicated? ... No I'm not changing it. .... There's 40,000 prewritten words still! .... No you're going to feel the same exhaustion I feel! ... Eat a buttcheek" *click*  
> Alnassik is that kid at walmart that really wants the candy and his mom won't get it for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously violence warning again cus they're fighting.
> 
> It's more funny then scary but I guess a warning for a very, very angy shakespearean woman with early onset alzheimer's (no rly I'm not joking). Qua has had enough bullshit. 
> 
> Also warning for earth worms - I personally think they're adorable but I know some people don't like them, so I try to keep any really creepy descriptions out and gave them really cute voices, you'll see.
> 
> And once again Helena is the only angel with any intelligence here and shehe knows it.

[(Kevin Macleod - Cryptic Sorrow](https://youtu.be/uk5M_q9eID0))

_Flashback_

_(Alnnasik)_

_"No." The Devil had spoken._

_"Why?" He replied._

_"I won't. We've been over this. You don't know what you want."_

_"Devil!" He stomps his large claw, preventing them from walking away. "I want to know! I have a right to know! It's my damn choice!"_

_"And my own choice is no."_

_He's had enough. He needed the Truth. He needed it to beat Harut. He needed it, needed it, NEEDS IT._

_The Devil looked old. Tired._

_"You don't want this Hermit. It will destroy your life."_

_"Please, please, Devil, my sweet Devil, tell me."_

_It was like their roles were reversed. He was tempting like a demon. They were trying to stow away._

_"Devil, I won't hate you."_

_"You will."_

_They'd been at this for days, years even. He followed them around, asking them, every second, about the Truth. They just kept denying him an answer. The Devil couldn't sleep, he wouldn't allow it._

_"Tell me!"_

_"You know what I am, and who I am - why don't you listen to yourself for a damn change!?"_

_"Because-"_

_"Grow up Hermit! You sound like a hatchling."_

_"I am far older than you."_

_"Physically, yeah - mentally no."_

_"Devil, you are the worst version of me, don't you want to tell me?"_

_"No! Because the worst version of you regrets it immensely!"_

_"Well - fuck him then! I'll do whatever it takes to bring him down!"_

_It's then, that he looked down, and saw the line of a star he's crossed._

_Oh shit._

_The Devil turned around in absolute glee, no longer playing as him._

_"Hermit, you want the truth so badly, do you even remember exactly why you hate Harut?" A few other soot stained humans in thick clothes stepped out from their shadow, melting into existence like a black and red horde._

_They're right though. He doesn't remember why he's after The Tower exactly - he just was._

_"I'll show you your truth!"_

_And The Devil whispered it into the wind, a horrible, dreadful truth, flying into the hollow parts of his skull, as they step back and fall into smoky nothingness._

_He burst awake, coughing sputtering onto the dirt ground of Rosswood, pain in his side excruciating._

_It was a dream._

_It never happened._

**_It never happened._ **

_But he knew one thing for sure, his resolve to destroy The Tower only strengthened. He carried around the souls of The Magician and Strength. But he needed more._

_There was no turning back now._

_\---_

The Devil can feel the fight trembling in their feet. A powerful anger pits in their stomach - but not their own. They and Toby continue to smile and play the chess game, such a delightful idea from Jessica. While Toby thinks over his next move, 37 thinks back. Habit's own heart was replaced by the arcana Strength - Number eight - not just as a teacher of empathy to the rabid rabbit - but a kill switch. You know that probably could be quite useful now... The fight could be over in just a few minutes-

"Alright! I captured your queen!" The Devil blinks, a foggy mask leaning close to the chess piece. He really has. 

"Hmm, good job, either you're getting better at this game. I have no doubt you will pass it in time.”

But what right do they have to interrupt another? The chess pieces are already in position. There is no Devil piece. The game will play out on its own.

"Be careful Toby, your king is in check."

"Shit!"

Intervening now would be like flipping the board.

But … there's no rule against giving everyone a hard time … or fucking over Habit in the process …. face splitting with both a grimace and smile.

The Devil snaps through their gloves. Just a little itsy bitsy toss up to add into their fray.

The feeling is instant, as The Magician's control fluxes. Strength reawakening, with her raw, unmatched anger. ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn.’

"Mm-mm, poor Qua." 

"What?" Toby asks.

"Nothing. Pay attention, you're still in check"

"Shit!"

\---

_“You’re bluff is terrible Magician. Cease your tricks.”_

Aietidal speaks through Jessica’s mouth.

Habit pauses, returning with a punchable grin.

“Oh come on, you have to admit I’m a pretty good actor.” He skips, pointing finger guns at the two, giving a light cackle. 

“But even then, that was extremely out of character - I mean seriously it took you _that_ long to figure it out. One good hell of a time!”

“Wait … all of that was … a joke too you!?”

“I had to put a good show on, didn’t I? We do have an audience!”

They look around, only seeing a glimmer of Alsham watching from a roof.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t worry about it Timmy, it’s hard to wrap your pretty little brain around it.” Habit winks at the reader.

“Was any of that - was any part of it serious!?”

“Hmm, lemme think about that - no. I’ll try to paint a picture for you - I was realllllyyyy bored. You know how long I’ve been around? You think I’d still be that immature? No, fortunately - I’m not human. Great show though you all, seriously - you really pulled out the big stops.”

“You can’t - You can’t just get away with this-”

“Yeah, well, sorry bud, that’s just how things go. I am really quite fond of you all - you’ve grown on me, so I won’t be an entire asshole about this.” He snaps his fingers - Tim and Jessica freeze up.

“Ok - I gotta say my favorite part was screaming at you about your father - really pulled that one out of my ass.”

 _This_ is the true power of The Magician, of any magician really, showmanship. Tricking his audience with a good show, morphing plot itself. However, he isn’t the only one writing this story - things are just about to change, a few more seconds now. _Keep reading._

“How long … have you been Jay? How long!?” Tim grits out, his face starting to fall, hope crackling. Had he been played this whole time?

“Relax Timothy. Just since this little skirmish began. Maybe with a few pokes and prods here and there, but Jay’s been here. He’s not fake, so don’t worry yourself up into a tizzy.”

“What’s the point …. what does this do for you, how does this stop The Operator…”

“Entertainment. Personally, I don’t really care about stopping old stick in the mud. He’s like - the main villain. How are humans supposed to suffer for all eternity if he's not around?” Habit sits on the fountain’s edge, one leg crossed over, and sighing -

"You know Timothy I would kill you, but Jay _loves_ you." He says with an ugly coo. “I can’t take away his motivation just yet.” He slinks forward, one leg at a time, circling Tim.

"But Alqamar - Alqamar - Al-qa-mar. I could always use another lil’ minion puppet."

**"You're mad."**

"Still feeling sassy? I like th-" Something's wrong.

Habit stares at his hands. For once, The Magician has no idea what is going on.

‘ _What - is this?_ _No one can just - that's not how I -_ ** _Devilllllllll!!!!!!_** _'_ This is the real him, his real hatred. He's going to kill them, if it's the last thing he does he's going to kill them. _He's going to kill them when this is over. He's going to break that annoying fucking laugh right out of their face._

_'Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaa~'_

Old, thick, globs of red leak from his mouth … not blood, but some congealed wine, and sharp sugary crystals.

_'Rage, Oh Devil, I give you my blood, so cut me out from this hell on earth, from the vileness, from sanctuary - I'm only comfortable when I cannot love, let me pay my weight 300 fold! Let me cut him DOWN!'_

It was always a matter of time, before Strength escaped.

_'Let. Me. OUT!'_

A rage of fury and grief against his ribs, against his skull. 

As The Devil put it - _Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn._

\---

(Kevin[ Macleod - Confused State](https://youtu.be/z5F42SgRWTo))

And he can only warn the two humans.

"Run."

“Is this another act!?” Tim yells, he couldn't do this shit anymore.

" _No._ "

"Habit! Stop fucking with us!" Jessica's turn.

Quiet.

Then - " _AAAAHHHHHHHHH!"_

It's a short bursted scream like a fury eagle, like … a woman. Then Jay's arms and legs are gone, covered by what appears to be muscle tendons - but actually - are worms, holding together into one being.

And Jessica, both blessed and cursed - can _understand the worms._ Very, very tiny voices, high pitched squeals.

_"it's go time everyone! huddle up!"_

_"yippee! we got this team! she needs us!"_

_"yayyyyyy!!!!"_ They all squeal.

"They're … kinda cute …" Jessica laughs.

Tim doesn't even bother. "Just hit it until it stays down and we can fish Jay out!"

"Right."

The 'being' finally takes full form … a 9 foot tall woman like form, a sword pulled from their mouth.

Full blooded skin forms over the "muscles." Followed by a set of cloth armor, short orange hair, and all black shiny eyes.

It's not really an 'it' anymore. Rather, a she.

It - she just stands there, battle stance.

Aietidal - the only one who reads around here - speaks aloud to explain, _"It seems #8 is reborn. Strength has returned…"_

"Like the other angels?"

_"Yes, but this one is human."_

Tim holds a hand out - "Does that look human too you!?"

_"She had a human heart, so she is a human. She can be beat."_

"How."

_"Survive her wrath long enough, and she'll tire herself out..."_

The woman holds out her arm to the dim, foggy light.

"I'm … alive… _again-_ " Momentary surprise switches instantly to hot rage, a screeching call like a banshee, as she hurls her sword into a completely random building. She doesn't even seem to care about them.

"COME OUT YOU COWARD!" 

She bitch slaps another building.

"Wait who am I looking for again… oh brother…" She paces around the rubbled square. "Where am I? Oh god it's the Alzheimer's kicking in again isn't it - NO YOU SHUT UP!"

 _"She's … a very, very old lady in a young woman's body…"_ Aietidal mumbles.

"We're wasting time - so much time wasted - so many words with no rhyme or reason or reason and rhyme - so much anger - anger! Stalling for more and more time - never enough! GIVE THEM HELL!"

Strength lunges for them, swiping her sword back and forth like she's trying to chop down human grass blades. 

"I'M SO TIRED OF ALL THIS BULLSHIT!" 

_Shing!_

"THESE MORONIC ANGELS KNOW NOTHING _!"_

_Shing!_

_"JUST - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

It feels as if a line is connected from Tim's gullet, his anger, his exhaustion, being sucked away, leaving nothing but a shell.

"J-jessica - we've gotta get away - it's feeding on us-" 

"I c-can't move! It's all over me!" Her hands and face begin dripping in a golden metal.

"Jessica snaps out of it! It's not real-"

His hand fragments like glass shards, falling to the ground.

Strength isn't even trying, she just lays on the ground bawling in her insanity, wailing like some tragic Shakespeare play.

 _'It's not real it's not real it's not real - get a hold of yourself!'_ But the arm is still gone when he opens once more.

In return, he can sense their pain as well… _'We can't win against something like this … she'll tear us apart without lifting a finger!'_

All of them are incapacitated in thick grief, molasses holding them to the ground.

"T-im." Jessica sniffs. "What's - happening?"

"I don't know."

[(Kevin Macleod - Crusade](https://youtu.be/IiIanKo5lCY))

The tell tale patter like an approaching storm, echoing off the rooftops, stone and tin and spears.

"Jessica I know we can't move but we have to move!"

Too late, the metal shines, an arc across the sky -

And straight into Qua.

"GRRRRRRR!"

 _"oh no!"_ The worms collectively yell.

"Why are they - why are they attacking her - attacking Jay?"

Another volley of harpoons whistle and hook her, she pulls against the strings, managing to take down some of the statue men, but it seems an entire army is here.

 _'You are nothing but filler in another's story.'_ Something calls.

"NO!" The goliath braces back, ripping the men off the rooftops to come crumbling down, Jessica and Tim take cover. Strength uses their ropes against them, metal pings like guitar strings deafening the block. "FUCK YOU!" Her rage is real, and whole, and manifests into more power. There's no way she's going to tire out shortly.

"We need a plan - while she's distracted…"

"I - I don't know we could try … try and get Jay…" Jessica stares helplessly out at the mess. "Tim … Tim I think this is beyond our power…"

"But-" Jessica catches his arm.

"We can't do anything right now … we need to wait for Alex-"

"How long is he going to take!"

"I don't know!"

"Are you sure that he'll make it on time!?

"I-"

"Are you sure!?"

Jessica gives no utterance, until Tim is turning and running into the falling rubble.

"What are you doing!? Tim!"

He has no idea. His fist connects with the spears, the writhing mass of tissue, and he punches a dent into it, and his other follows, digging in. One after the other, until he can see a hand, and he keeps breaking, keeps tearing, keeps destroying, until he has hold of Jay's arm. He pulls and pulls and with a snap! He's free. He runs with the man over his shoulder, unaware that Strength's eyes are bearing down on him.

"I see now …" The strange man had rescued another from her. Qua is a peculiar being, and so are her thoughts, and seeing this, her rage is returned to a calm, tepid pool of water. A sleeping lion. Her form collapses -

_"it's bedtime guys!"_

_"weeeeee, we're falling!"_

_"great teamwork everybody!"_

The worms leave, underground.

Tim is hit by a small piece of rubble, and tumbles, dropping Jay onto the ground, shaking him desperately as the rocks finally stop falling around them.

"Jay-" His fingers meet his head, and he's suddenly in a blinding, storm of people and morphing faces, he fights against the wind desperately.

The maelstrom is in his mind too, a warring sea of migraines and brain freeze, until he locks onto Jay in the storm, pulling him forward, back into his body.

"Jay?"

"Tim?"

They stand quiet.

"Jay … can you stay with me, please? I've got you, you don't have to fall back into that mess…"

And then … tears, thick and shiny, pour down Jay's face.

"I'm not Jay…"

"Y-yes you are Jay, I can feel it-"

"No - I'm just - I'm just a thought … I'm not real …" 'Jay' looks down in pure heartbreak. 

"I'm not Jay … I'm an imposter… I'm just his feelings … his will …. I'm sorry but ..."

Tim doesn't interrupt him.

"Jay Merrick is **dead**."

[(Houseki no Kuni - Isolation](https://youtu.be/onMyPoC7BA8))

_"None of it matters. No matter what I do … nothing changes."_

A piece of plaster flakes off of Tim's face, then another, clay cracking and crumbling. His world caves in, and he falls.

_'Jay is … dead … then … what's the point anymore?'_

The man in his car.

The man editing videos at all hours of the night.

The man with the bags under his eyes and the green cap.

The man he fought with over a tape, over a lie.

The man he left tied up in his house.

The man Alex killed.

Jay Merrick is dead.

And it's all his fault.

….. !

But while Tim had given up, Alqamar surges through the fold, bursting forth with Aietidal right behind him.

Both of them fight through the souls and voices, pulling The Hermit from his own drowning mess and back into the real world by his horns.

" _Alna you can't kill him! We can only stop him! You're only destroying yourself!"_ Aietidal whistles into the stream.

Alqamar has his shoulders pinned leaning all his weight just to keep him down.

" ** _I'M LOSING YOU! THE REAL YOU!_ ** _"_ He shouts, loud and clear, into his face.

" ** _I'm sorry - I'm so sorry. This isn't what -"_ ** It's clear that Alnnasik has lost control _entirely_.

They hold Jay down, almost thrashing their combined weight off. 

" _Alna. You need to help us!"_

There's no response, and both are thrown against the fountain wall. Jessica smashes through without a scratch due to her armor, but Tim is down for the count, water rushing beside him and soaking him to the bone.

She struggles around, but she is lodged in like a cork. Jay stands in his own spot, changing again, cracks in the stone ground. 

His face seethes, purple blood dripping from his maw. His nose snarls back. _Look who's back._

There is a raised voice from behind, from Firebrand, still forced to take a backseat.

 **"HABIT, you're still a dumb bastard I see!"** This got It's attention.

"OH FUCK ALL KINDS OF OFF YOU TOASTER BITCH! DON'T TELL ME YOU ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THEM?" 

Jessica watches from her little indent - It really has been weird watching Jay shout and swear his mouth off, though it's noticeable his voice doesn't carry the same amount of malice when it speaks to 'toaster bitch'.

**"You want to get out of there or do I have to tear you out?"**

"You're gonna have to tear me out fucker - I can't even get out if I wanted too. Somethings got me on a leash - not that I'm complaining, entirely."

 **"If you're lying, I'm going to have the devil's wife rip you out** **_instead_ ** **."**

His eyes shoot wide, sclera fully purple.

"I'm not lying. Fuck I'm not lying. Don't send them please …"

**"You want out then?"**

"... Yes … I'll stop…"

"Holy fucking shit is HABIT actually scared?" Kevin says.

Firebrand turns around, eyes turned to slits.

**"Oh so I guess the entire fucking community has come to watch this like a WWE match."**

Noah backs Kevin up, "Yeah all we need is some popcorn, you think if I can get some corn you can heat that up?" 

**"Oh you two are** **_hilarious_** **."** He growls.

Kevin snickers.

**"If you're here, where is the Observer?"**

"Where do you think he is?" Kevin responds.

**"Ughhh … typical."**

He turns back, nodding at the two camping out in the fountain.

**"Be somewhat useful and help them out of their jam."**

Noah eyes Habit, but continues quickly to dislodge the two.

" **Look** … brandy - I hate saying it, but I'm at the end of my rope, you wait any longer and we're just gonna turn into some feral racoon with rabies, and while I'd _love_ that - I don't think you will."

**"I told them I'd give them an hour - it's only been 43 minutes."**

"Are you fucking serious!?!"

**"Very."**

There's no reply, his eyes roll back and Jay - someone - all of them, clutches at Jay's head, pained screeching in several voices, and the lines between reality and illusion begin fusing, melting into the sky like it's a 2d seam.

Jessica watches it unfold as she is freed from the rubble.

She tightens her fist, then completely handing control over to Aietidal. She will have to go alone.

"Hold on Jay …" She steps forward into the haze, a familiar one.

 _"Open your mind. Let the cubes guide you. You know what to do._ "

She's back again. Rusty Lake. Falling onto the hotel lobby.

"Mr. Crow!?" 

\---

[(YURiKA - Kyoumen no nami](https://youtu.be/C9MuI4gfyiA))

_'Hurry Alex. They have no clue the kind of balance they're messing with.'_

That's what Helena has been repeating in his ear for the last few minutes, when Brian finally tracked him down, and they were both now running back as fast as they could.

He knew Jay had been acting weird - but he was so _blind_ to the real consequences of it all.

 _He can only think of himself_. _With no one to stop him from murdering his friends…_

Brian peers over at Alex, witnessing the odd transformation his body was going through as they ran, his skin cracking, small green plants growing out and covering his body, swirling around his face - like a mask, eyes glowing pink from underneath. 

They can both make out the dust cloud rising up ahead, and as he rounds the curve - _'There's many of him - you'll have to go inside and find the real Jay.'_

"Right."

They haven't done it yet, but they execute it just as practiced, vines shooting out to surround Jay and create a tunnel between the two.

_'Now!'_

\----

"Always at your service." She turns, never having been so elated to see a man with a giant crow head, one eye staring into her soul.

He answers before the question is asked. "That way my dear, but be careful." He crows. "It's much less stable than before upstairs…"

"Thank you!"

" _You know what to do."_ He holds out a tool.

Yes, maybe not consciously, but she knows what to do, running up the stairs of the building - except it's older, covered in a thick red wallpaper. It's like the hotel, but a different time, a different place.

"Jay I know you're in here!" She stares down an endless corridor, at least a row of more than fifty rooms. How long has he been stuck here? 

Inhabited people, corrupted people, and just people-people open their doors to surround her. So she does what she can only do. She holds that iconic knife, passed through the hands of many guests. Now it's her turn. She stabs the first, and shoves their body against the hoard. But she knows she can't possibly take them all down. She kills another, then another, clearing her way into a room, slamming and locking the door behind her. It creaks and threatens to bulge open.

 _Right room_.

She sees a huddled mass sleeping under thick wooly quilts. She knows who it is. Pulling back the covers, reveals a frail and porcelain skinned man, bedhead and a bit of a stubble, with the hat and jacket she first met him in. Red blood is dried around him and the mattress, where he curls in the fetal position.

"Jay … I know … I can't begin to comprehend what's happened to you … but please, we need you to wake up."

Dull eyes blink awake. " _Who … are you?"_

"It's me, Jessica."

_"... You died too? Oh …"_

"No, no Jay we're alive, but we've gotta get moving. Seriously."

_"I already tried that … it's hopeless. I kept trying … but …"_

"You need to break out of your eggshell and come with me."

_"I'm not … ready."_

"Jay-"

_"Who even am I? What use do I have … it's honestly better this way…"_

"No no no, Tim misses you, immensely, Brian misses you! I miss you! Alex misses you! So many people miss you!"

_"But Alex … shot me?"_

"That wasn't Alex, at least not anymore. The real Alex is here in the world of the living.

His eyes drift around the room. A small voice within him whispers - " _Who am I anymore?... I'm Jay … Jay Merrick._ "

"That's right Jay, come on. You've got this."

A vine pierces Jay's chest. 

"What!?"

\--- 

(This was one of my favorite scenes in this entire thing, lined it up with song as best as I could)

[(Scorpius Music - Rosswood](https://youtu.be/qGa7vuIVrug))

The world opens up to him like a rose bud unfurling, and Alex steps out. His mind is nearly as vast as the city itself, fragmented and glitching buildings, structures he'd seen in his lifetime. Many lay in absolute ruin.

This is the mess Alex has caused.

Only way is forward. The path let's him through, traveling further and further into this strange countryside of mismatched colors and buildings, of unsettling music and light. Everything is fine, but not fine.

Soon his feet find Rosswood, a warm and lovely autumn day, with the sound of robins and blue jays croaking, the sun filtering through. This looks like a nice place.

There is a bench ahead, and on it sits Jay, red shirt and jeans, contemplating something Alex cannot view. He takes his seat next to the man.

"Are you the real Jay?"

"No … not yet… he is lost, further down."

"Hmm…" They sit in comfortable silence, just enjoying it all.

"He never wanted this … he was fearful at first … of death … but in the end, he'd accepted it. He just wanted to rest here on this bench…"

"But the world had other plans…."

"Yes. An angel dragging his body around and across dimensions endlessly in search of a futile quest… and then, one day, he simply shut down. He just fell here, in Rosswood. So Alnassik reset everything in his head… back to day one on the island."

"I'm sorry…"

"These angels … they have so much to learn…" He looks up a set of spiraling leaves. "They believe they know everything there is to life… and they've barely scratched the surface. Always going. Always moving. Never stopping, to enjoy things like this. It's exhausting."

Helena agrees somewhere in the back of his mind.

A cold gust moves in.

"Can you hear it? It's like fire crackling… just barely. It terrifies me."

Alex knows this growing horror is only real to Jay. A scare tactic. Footprints in the dirt everywhere he listens, fire crackling louder.

His eyes turn black, head snapping to stare at Alex.

He rises to his feet, continuing down the path, to the oh so familiar metal pipeline.

He faces Jay down the long tunnel, light and static on the other side.

"Jay?"

The man turns with a slow blink, looking at Alex, exhausted. There is a solid round hole where his heart should be.

"Are you here to kill me?" Drips off his lips.

"No Jay … I'm here to take you home… the sun is setting soon."

"Home?"

"All of us."

The old script supervisor stares at the ground. A bunch of copies of himself buzz past in a blur, filling the hole in his chest.

"Ok…"

He takes Jay's thin-fingered hand, and they continue down the path.

\---

(Rusty[ Lake - March of Darkness](https://youtu.be/19uTwwSvmuc))

The scenery around her fades back to the battleground like smoldering paper, she whips around, vision focusing down a green tunnel on Alex, his eyes turned a pink hue, and his body covered in the vines - only small bits of skin show through. She turns back around - connecting two and two. Jay's arms are entrapped and suspended like a cross. He coughs, then sputters and heaves, crippling over. 

Tim is too far lodged in the stone of the fountain to get to him, freaking out in his half delirious state, water leaking out in places as he struggles.

Jay wretches a thick black oil, glowing green and yellow, oozing out. Each gasp for breath is interrupted by another stream of - what they all realize with horror - souls. Souls stripped bare and eaten and _trapped._

Jay hears a familiar voice, like bells ringing, " _You had a bad lunch Alna. Gave you some nasty food poisoning, didn't it?"_ Helena - before passing out.

It appears as if they're stabbing Jay, but no blood drips from the wound. Just more and more tar, growing at Jay's knees. 

Tim begins to wonder if it will ever end, if Jay will be able to breathe - but the fluid trickles to a halt. Jay goes slack in the puddle.

"Alex?"

"Alex isn't here right now." A deep woman's voice speaks. "He's with Jay."

"Oh…"

The vines gently pick Jay up in a safe cradle, and help Tim un-wrench himself from the fountain.

"He's stable. But they're not out of the woods yet."

\---

(Kevin[ Macleod - Chase Pulse Faster](https://youtu.be/peGu0E5-qKs))

Like a war party coming back, they walk towards the hospital, followed by a few other spectators. They pass by Toby and the devil sitting at a table, _still_ playing chess.

"OH MY GOD FOR THE 7TH TIME YOU CANNOT MOVE THE KNIGHT THAT WAY!"

"I don't know man seems like I should be able too."

"AGGHHHH!" The Devil screeches in apparent rage. Hands planted on the game table, they turn with a crack of their neck - finally taking notice.

"Nice job! Regular old angel wrestlers now."

Most of everyone rolls their eyes.

_'Traitors.'_

Tim hears a noise like metal - a shout from Toby - and then Brian is falling next to him.

He's just turning his head as Alex - Helena - is being cut straight through the chest. Instead of blood there are green vines reaching out to reattach the halves.

Tim is just understanding that they're under attack as 37 is turning around, reaching over their shoulder to grab the halligan bar.

Tim realizes it's Habit as metal spines shoot from Jay's skin, impaling 37 through the chest and arm.

They'd let their guard down for a half a second. That's all he needed.

The Devil radiates panic.

" ** _YOU! SACRILEGIOUS FOOL!"_ **

"Later bitch!" Jay - Habit - kicks the rest of them away with that impossible strength. He grabs the halligan bar, angrily rearing it back like a bat, and sends it ramming through their chest. 

_'No.'_ Tim catches the thought and questions it. He didn't give two shits about The Devil… did he?

No time.

It's - disorienting to look at - Jay's body spits out a dense crowd of people and creatures with burning purple eyes.

"YOU FORGOT DEVIL!" They all laugh, a deep warbly voice. Tim turns back to The Devil - who is trying to pull the steel weapon out - strength failing.

The crowd rounds on them.

Tim backs up to protect Jay.

" **Don't do this Habit!"** Firebrand yells.

"I STILL HAVEN'T HAD MY REVENGE ON THIS **BITCH!"** The Magician turns to attack 37.

"Huh?" They garble, looking small and frail under that gear all of the sudden. Firebrand grabs their lithe body, putting himself between the inhabited crowd and a very surprised 37, not used to being manhandled. His vision of the events is cut off when they're all enveloped in a black, staticy liquid, a bubble of darkness.

This all plays out in a matter of about ten seconds.

"What the fuck is going on!"

" _Shut up Noah!"_ A new, nearly annoying voice yells.

There's a small white light in the place. Everyone is here - except for Firebrand and the inhabited people.

The glowing white orb is held over the body of the Devil.

" _Don't just sit there like pathetic puppies, help me pull it out!"_ The same voice demands.

"Are they all gonna be ok!?" Jessica asks, recovering her senses and sitting between Brian and Alex.

_"YES IF WE CAN GET THE FUCKING BAR OUT OF THE DEVIL'S STUPID ASS!"_

"Pfft, I'll be fine! Ow. Ok, that really fucking hurts… fucking embarrassing…" 

"You got stabbed, you shouldn't be embarrassed!" Toby looks at Jessica, "Yeah, if I got wounded with my own weapon I'd be pretty embarrassed too…"

"Well that's because you're both stupid!"

The devil laughs in a liquidy cough. "Yeah, yeah you're right…"

There's a puddle of shiny black growing in the dim light, when the light is held closer, it's red and bright.

"That's …. A lot of blood-"

 _"_ I'm bleeding? Shit … fuck you Habit." Closer inspection shows that it's beginning to stain their clothes.

 _"What the FUCK Devil!? You don't bleed!"_ Judgement hisses all around them.

"Well … now I do … it's just how … things … go… I got lungs too… apparently."

"Observer, did you guys plan this?" Kevin speaks up, holding pressure on Brian's wounded back.

" _Habit? - no, no one expects Habit - I was just here in case Toaster decided it was time to nuke 'em… well guess we still did…"_

Helena sits up, "Judgement, where are you taking us?"

" _What? That's a stupid question! The hospital obviously! I don't need all of you fucking weird ass humans bleeding and vomiting all over me! Disgusting!"_

-

Meanwhile …

 **KABOOM!** The flames roll out and over the block, torching the humans being used as bodies - they can be fixed later. A large, terrifying beast appears, purple fur, spider legs, and a snarling rabbit head. It is then engulfed in green flames before it can escape.

 **"You've always been a pitiful creature Habit…"** The dark sun hovers in the air above the thing once so proudly re-known and feared - diminished to this gaunt and grambled form.

 **"... You were probably so excited weren't you - thought you had a chance to kill them? I would think you of all people would know better."** He does not look upon the beast anymore.

**"But The Magician is out of tricks now…"**

Flames lick its fur and skin, claws writhing to put it all out.

"But - You were my-"

"- **I was not … we were just two loathsome creatures with mutual interests. There was never -** **_and will never_ ** **\- be anything between us."** It's solidified. 

There sits the heartless purple rabbit. Humanities evil incarnate, beaten by his own.

His lips curl, unnaturally, into a look anguish - but that's an impossible emotion for him.

"I _hate_ you." Aching and hollow, like a thickness lodged in the beasts throat.

"I'll kill you for this…" However, the bite is lost, only a warbled claim. Perhaps, if the beast could cry, it would. That is something left to the unknown.

"I'll crush you…" Small, withered, even - _Heartbroken?_ The day is over...

In all truthfulness, The Sun really does have a terrible taste in false gods, choosing to shine among some of the filthiest. An inner flaw he is well aware of, but has yet to face.

He walks away to see where The Observer ended up, leaving the firefighters to recapture their missing prisoner - as well as the true form of an ashamed Hermit, whose appearance is not to be described yet.

**"... Alnassik…"**

"... _yes …"_

**"You know what The Devil is going to do now…."**

_"... yes."_

**"... I wish you luck, friend…"**

Three angels have been subdued today.

Three trials.

The Sun walks away, towards the dark orange and red hues of his name sake. Of course today, of all days, does it shine.

_Rest is finally upon us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EVERYONE DESERVES AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT WORM!🥰
> 
> If you've put up with my chaotic bullshit this long you get a gold star.
> 
> I'm going to take this upcoming Sunday off again and return the next coming Sunday, however I will still be updating some of my other smaller things. Angel's Ark takes a lot more time to work on then the other's do, and a lot of brain power from my one functioning brain cell.


	73. The Power of a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alnassik's trial begins, and Tim makes a few important discoveries.  
> Alex sets out to begin righting his wrongs, and returns with an old friend.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Tim Wright, Ace Attorney *play music*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tired af so this may not be the best editing. I've got part one of my big EMT final tomorrow.
> 
> I guess uh like Minor warning towards the end of the chapter for a non-descriptive flashback to a murder (Literally fades to static) and two of the characters have a brief panic attack.

[(Claire de Lune - Claude Debussy)](https://youtu.be/CvFH_6DNRCY)

Jay is finally free.

Jay Merrick is himself again.

But for now, he is resting.

Someone is playing piano down the long medical corridor. This time he is all the way at the end, next to the huge glass window, polarized and white. Tim hadn't noticed until now, that the coved ceiling is painted like the Sistine Chapel, though it is dull and chilling in places. Adam's hand, reaching out for God, is gone, his face peeled in places. It matches the gray blue light of the room, of the city. 

He lays next to him, squeezing to fit on the small iron bed frame.

He's never … felt quite this calm. A nurse might come to chase him back to his bed, but he's mostly healed already. He wants to be with Jay, and they'll have to fight him - except the nurses really are quite terrifying and Tim doesn't want to fight _them._

Clunky, slow boots come down the corridor to them, slowly sliding over the curtain.

This is the head doctor.

He's scarily tall, long black coat draping down to their knees, helmet lip curled awkwardly down towards their back, "4" imprinted in red and white, and large boots creaking the floor as the giant walks.

He's a gentle giant though, at least he doesn't try to shoo Tim away. He slips (what has to be the most antique) blood pressure cuff around Jay's arm, and begins going over his daily exam. Despite sounding like Darth Vader, it is somehow peaceful, blending in with the atmosphere.

"... One week …" 

Tim almost gasps - none of the fighters had ever spoken around him, or anyone else for that matter.

"Thank you."

He pulls away the blood pressure cuff, and ducks under the curtain, lumbering back down the hall.

Brian comes some time later, nodding at Tim.

"Already?" He sighs and tucks the white quilt around Jay one more time, trading places with Brian.

One of them has to be present for today's "trial". Seeing as Tim was the only one who could speak, it's up to him.

\---

Alex sits in the darkness of an underground chamber, his back against a wall of rock. A wall which carries the fossil of a giant angel, bones spiraling up and up into the darkness. A dripping pool a few feet in front of him ripples as Helena speaks: _"To do this requires being open to your mistakes, but truthful to your doubts. You know what you did wrong, and you know what you couldn't control."_

Eyes open. Time to do this.

They're breaking into enemy territory today, on a mission. Alex peels his shirt off, folding it to the side. His torso is covered in what looks like vine tattoos, except one by one, they spring to life like a pop up book. They crack through his spine and his knuckles and every bit of his skeleton that needs readjustment. Like a built in chiropractor.

_"Let's go."_

He takes a step into the pool, and another, and another, going down a staircase until he's completely submerged, and he keeps walking on. Eventually his foot meets air, and he steps out of the pool of water, still continuing down, until he plants his feet on the forest floor.

He hates being back _here_ . But he takes a deep breath, steadying. He can do this. He _has_ to do this. He owes it to everyone.

His journey is not far, walking into a meadow of tall grass, gray and cloudy as always. The memories come flooding back through his feet and through the tips of his fingers. His first victim, killed by his own hands, pale faceless monster standing over his shoulder, speaking to him in static waves.

But he takes another breath, and the vines fly out, a few pink buds blooming in the light. It feels like he is taking in air between his ribs, breathing fully.

When he opens them again, it is night, but clear skies, standing in the upper level of an abandoned house. A beacon of pure white stands ahead of him. This corrupted soul is a bit different than the others, appearance wise. It turns to him, smiling, black eyes, a black smile, orange glowing eyes. He is almost the opposite of Brian's disguise, rather - Eadala's.

"Hello Seth…."

\---

A boy - well, technically a man - keeps peering through the curtain at the sleeping form of the man, standing on his tippy toes like it would make the image clearer somehow. Jessica sits in the chair next to Jay, whilst Brian is going on a snack run.

"Is he gonna wake up?"

"I'm sure, he just needs a lot of rest." She answers, flipping a page of the magazine dated from the 1760's.

"I wanna see his powers again …"

"I think those were from the angels, he's just human now…"

"Ah … the fishing rod dudes were really cool …"

A bell rings outside as a head of messy brown hair turns to look - despite the polarized windows. "You're not going?" He asks.

"No … I think this trial is something between the three of them …" Jessica sighs, peeling a band-aid off her face and discarding it.

"Is it like ... a family matter?"

"Hmm … I didn't think of it that way … but yeah, sort of."

"Are they like a thing?" He blurts out.

"Pfft- yes … they don't know it yet though…"

"Ohhhhh …. He-he. That explains why that Tim guy has a stick up his ass."

"I think he was like that before, Jay just made it worse."

They both giggle, and Jessica looks up from her reading, noticing that there are tears rolling down Toby's face.

"What's wrong?"

"I … I feel … happy?" Half-gloved fingers hover over his chest in a comprehending manner, like a little light glows there delicately. "I've only been depressed, my happiness was a façade … but today … I feel different, like something I forgot ..."

She smiles, "That's the real you, coming out of its hiding place…"

"Oh…" He blinks, just barely visible through the orange plastic. "I wanna … go do something…"

"What do you have in mind?"

He ponders for a moment.

"Let's go see what weird shit is at the Costco today!"

Jessica snorts and shakes her head. "Sounds fun."

"Meow!" A black cat, slinks under the curtain, curling its tail into a crook, sniffing Jessica's boot for a moment, then jumping up onto the cot, laying on its occupant's chest.

\---

[(Rusty Lake - Mind Games](https://youtu.be/EgYwS1HdHLs))

_Squeak. Squeak. Squeak._

"Court is now in session - god I love saying that!"

The courtroom is … hardly that, it seems more like an old, renovated greek monument. It is all entirely made of a yellow tinted marble, there is a balcony with benches, above the square floor, and in front of that, a high judge bench. Of course, it seems The Devil is the judge today...

The Hermit sits center floor, covered in a large green shroud, however, a long, lizard-like tail pokes out, pale green scales and long white hair running down the spine. Tim can only imagine what he looks like underneath.

"Paperwork blah blah blah more paperwork - ah here we go - We call this trial in session today for The Hermit, #9, also known as Alnassik, and a member of the "Totheark" group. Blah blah blah - this trial is being held for the purposes of deciding punishment for Alnassiks involvement in such crimes as … _god these people write so small_ \- 'Mass-possession of an un-consenting host', 'Conspiratorating with a known criminal', 'consuming the essence of dozens of suits and everyday people, some of which consented, some of which did not…', 'attempt to create a WMD', the 'utter destruction of a delicate mental state's and - apparently, once stabbing a Denny's employee with a butter knife whilst on earth."

They drop the papers, pointing the silly rubber gavel down at a slumping lumpy blanket - "So…. give us the truth of your intentions behind your little cannibalism project."

 **"I guess … it would make more sense to start at the beginning."** His voice is different outside Jay's, though not terribly different, deeper … but lighter as well? It's chilling and soothing all at once.

 _"Oh lord here we go…"_ The Devil mumbles.

 **When I was just a young fledgeling, I had an insatiable curiosity. A few of us angels knew how to cross the divide to earth … and admintally, I too once toyed with life for my own entertainment. But… I began to look … closer…"** He pauses, voice talking on a sort of fondness.

**"Humans were … quite cute really… and the more time I spent … I realized they were just like us. They were just as smart, just as loving, just as hateful. The old angels had torn apart our world… what were we doing?"**

"Can you please summarize this?"

**"Oh - uh, yes. Long story short I developed a thick hatred for our kind. I believed earth should be left alone. Many didn't agree. So I killed them … most of them. The ones that remained made up most of The Arcana. With a few vacant spots."**

"And then came The Tower."

**"Yes. He would not stop. And his power … it is so unique I cannot wrap my head around it. I can't injure him… I'm rambling again - I needed a way to stop him. I needed allies. First, I was offered a particular deal by a cunning rabbit. The Magician, he had an idea that could take down Harut. I consumed him, and his heart. Strength, who was placed by you. So likewise you were my next target -"**

"Yes yes, you met me, I kicked your ass and told you the truth, you said 'fuck it imma do it anyway' - please Alna, answer the original question."

**"I, and The Magician thought if we could combine a bunch of Arcana into one vessel, we could create a sort of … semi-fool. And kill him."**

"So you're guilty?"

"Yes …"

"Well then might as well call this one-"

"Hey!" Tim yells, gaining the attention of the few spectators. "Aren't you going to ask anything else? I don't know - present some kind of evidence? Jay's in the _fucking_ hospital."

A low cackle - "What would you like to hear?"

"Why didn't anyone stop this beforehand? Surely someone had to see it coming?"

**"... I told no one of my exact plans … only Alqamar, Eadala, and a choice few knew what I planned to do, but I told no one what I was hiding…"**

He screws his face.

 _"They're hiding something…"_ Alqamar growls in his skull.

_'I know.'_

"It seems only you and The Magician truly conspired on this, the rest were just victims to your … machinations… 

Alqamar speaks through Tim's throat, leaving a strange waxy feeling in his mouth - **"The Magician was the main conspirator. I'm certain what Alna was trying to do was for the better good. Jay Merrick showed no signs of illness until that** **_purple bitch_ ** **started acting up."** His eyes narrow. **"37 - you know Habit's nature well, isn't that correct?"**

Their face is indistinguishable. "Yes. I had too, to be able to try him last time."

Alnassik just peers up at Tim, two glowing lights in the darkness of his hood, staying quiet.

**"Then - did you not have some responsibility over him? Over Strength?"**

"I have no power over other arcana, I simply deliver the punishment, whatever they do is up to them."

Alqamar fumes, and if he keeps it up Tim's going to get a migraine. _"Bullshit!"_

_'Let me try … I've got something…'_

"Alnassik chose to work with The Magician, whatever happened was a result of his own decision, and the continuing strings of decisions to tell _no one._ No one could help him because no one knew."

"Yes … but - Devil." The Devil looks once again at him, light reflecting off the glass mask. He can't back down now. "Didn't you also indicate earlier … that you knew what Alnassik was doing?"

"Yes - a general idea. I knew he planned to go after the aid of a 'few other angels'. He _didn't_ tell me he was going to start consuming whole ass people into his little soul bomb." 37 spins in their chair lazily, Alnassik ducks his head in shame. 

Tim, noor Alqamar, is going to let The Devil get out of this so easily. He's slowly turning the trial against them. They played with Jay's life, _he knows it._

"But Devil, you very clearly expressed anger at Alnassik's plans a few days ago. 'So evil those things in your skull aren't they.' You knew it was wrong and you had a chance to stop it."

A long, long pause. _He's got them._

"What the fuck are you on about?"

_Are they seriously going to play the dumb route!?_

"The fountain speech!"

"That thing? I was sleeping-"

"You were _right. There."_

 **"Actually …"** The Hermit speaks. " **Tim … Alqamar … That wasn't the same Devil as the one sitting here … it was a reflection of myself … yelling at me … my … guilt … incarnate..."**

"Then who is this?" He extends his hand out incredulously.

"The real one baby. In the flesh. Well - what's left of it. Kinda getting saggy…"

"Wait - then who was the one that got stabbed yesterday?"

"Still me."

"What - why were you there yesterday but you ' _weren't'_ there for that speech you gave, Were you some kind of apparition!? And when I came to visit you who the hell was I talking too then!?"

The Devil chuckles.

"Kid, that is a question I've been trying to answer for _years_. Let's just say, for times sake, I got really fucked up to be in the position I am today. None of it makes sense."

"... How the hell is anyone supposed to manage that!?"

"YOU LIVE WITH IT LIKE I DO! HA HA HA HA HA!" They smack their rubber gavel up and down. Tim makes a mental note. _Again._ Do NOT talk to The Devil. Just ignore it. Just accept that they are a complete nutcase and it will all be fine. 

Finished with their chaotic fit of laughter, they take a long sigh.

"Thank you Tim for that pure entertainment - but those two raise a good question. Why did The Magician take full control?"

**"Well … it's embarrassing…"**

"This can save your entire life Alnassik, I would spill the beans."

**"When Jay Merrick was … killed. That's when I finally stepped in … but… I had my doubts… I've never been - well - I've only possessed a human once before… I wanted to take things slow. Obviously Habit did not share the same ideals… he sensed my hesitation, and it only degraded from there … The Magician had influence over all of us, I was too blind to see it … he was waiting for the right time."**

"And said right time was yesterday?"

**"Correct…"**

"Well, I've made my Judgement. Does anyone else have any questions?

"Yeah…" he makes sure The Hermit is looking at him. "What was the deal you had with my mom?"

**"You … know about that?"**

"Yes … but why did she do it? What happened?"

A long sigh. **"We angels, can cross into your world … but for reasons unknown, we cannot return without a human vessel. Humans can also not return to Earth without an angel here…"**

He has an idea where this might be going…

**"Your mother … was the only available human which could tolerate possession by The Tower… the night you were born your mother was possessed, trying to take you. However … your father intervened, and lost his life in the process…"**

Oh. That's … a lot to process. His mother wasn't a deadbeat - and now he knows his father wasn't either…

"Why does he want me?"

**"I'm not certain, but likely - he saw potential in you to be a powerful pawn in his chest set. So your mother made a deal with us. Severance from The Tower, in exchange for you - which also acted as a means to protect you from it. She was a smart woman…"**

He doesn't know whether to cry, get angry, lay down and go to sleep … but he's already sick of this shit … how many more of these 'truth bombs' can he take?

"So … you chose us … As vessels - to fight him…"

**"Yes."**

"... I have one more question…" He sighs, chin in his fists, and he takes one more see breath before speaking."Why Jay? Why not anyone else? Why did you choose him out of all of us? Was it just random?"

 **"No … it was not random… I chose Jay Merrick … because he has a strange, but valuable characteristic … his mind is a lot 'stronger' than most. He can tolerate even the most severe of damages and** **_still_ ** **rise …** **_still_ ** **get up. So I fared that he would be more able to contain and tolerate a large amount of souls … in fact - the only reason it failed was because of all our disagreements … it could still … work-"**

"Alright - enough." The judge smacks their rubbery gavel. "I've heard your side … and I've made my judgement." They lean forward, gloves folded, mask cocked to the side. "You do realize how infinitely _foolish_ it was to try and create a 'Semi-Fool.' You cannot create a Fool no matter how hard you try - their existence is involuntary and god-like. _They_ must decide when to awaken. What you were creating was a spiritual bomb of sorts - that kind of power _is not_ akin to The Fool. They are an entity which changes their surroundings simply by existing, simply by _'being'._ And despite your young age at the time - I do believe you knew this. But you proceeded anyway, risked and violated the souls of many. It was doomed to fail." Their head twists with a crack. "My punishment … is to let Tim decide."

At that moment, Tim finally remembers that there _are_ more people in the room than just the three of them, and they've erupted in hushed whispers. "Mr. Wright…" Their voice curls. "Do _you_ condemn him for his actions?"

All he can hear is his heartbeat, and the tick of a clock in the room. He's waiting for a pen to drop as well.

All his life … spent in degradation, tossed around like dolls, inferior beings. Inferior even to other humans. A minute ticks by, and then another, as he mulls it over.

All his life … suffering from an unfounded plan, watching _his friends_ suffer as they were dragged into this skirmish between angels and creatures he didn't even know existed three months ago…

It's really only been about three months huh … it feels like forever.

Forever … His thumbs play with one another. Jay had suffered these last three months, likely longer than that… there's likely more things Alnassik is not telling him. That Alqamar isn't telling him.

Forever … such a daunting word, and yet when he thinks of it now … a warm breeze pushes over him. Sand and water and trees … and bright smiles … bright, beautiful eyes.

 _Maybe … this is all worth it?_ All of it … maybe it's leading somewhere _good_. Maybe this world isn't so hopeless. Maybe they can be happy … eventually… maybe that's what Alnassik envisioned. The end, the future - not the part in-between. He was willing to give anything for happiness - and the one thing in his way is the Tower. Tim can imagine a young creature staring out at their world with unbridled determination. Only to learn that it is not what it seems… and most creatures, _most humans_ , would give up and adjust to life as it is. But The Hermit had not, and despite setback after setback after setback _he would. Not. Stop._ He could've backed down and run away at any moment - he has that power - but he did not.

An image floats through his head of Jay standing on the island, hair rushing by his thick clothing, the hood that shadowed that toothy, grinning mask. A naive little cameraman detective who wanted to learn the truth, who "wanted people to know." Tim could never understand how that could motivate a man to go through all of that. Unless … that wasn't his motive at all.

Tim gasps, the first noise in minutes, leading everyone to wonder what he is thinking. It's only a theory, but a plausible one at that. Maybe … Jay Merrick, too, was envisioning the future. A dream. An impossible dream - but maybe not so impossible in his mind. If he could just go _another day_. If he could just find _another tape._ If he could just find Jessica and Brian and Tim and Alex and everyone and bring them _back home._ Maybe he thought … _that it would be worth all of his efforts._ Happiness. If he just tried harder each day, if he just kept going, if he just survived another night in that woods - maybe it would come true.

The more he thinks about it, the more he realizes just how similar the two are. Jay and The Hermit. A plastic mask with a skullish grin - shaped like it was meant for him all along.

Jay would never give up on his dream … and Alnassik saw that in him, and decided to give him a second chance at life.

"No …" His eyes flick down to the center floor and stare at the fiery lights that make up Alnassik's eyes … his _skull_ to be more exact. "I don't condemn him for it … I see why you did it … And I understand - I understand that things would be much worse off with that thing then you - but-" He stands full, both hands on the balcony. "You still see us how _he_ sees us." The electric glow emitting from Alnassik's shroud widens. "You may love us, but we're still lesser to you. You toy with our lives and our bodies and expect us to just be - ok with that ... In a sense, you're just _like him._ "

And everyone, even The cackling Devil, remains quiet. 

He's had enough for the day. Outside the courthouse walls, he walks down the drizzly street, and envisions it to be a sunny evening.

He sees Jay far ahead of him, towards the light. How does he not break? How does he not crumble? He's gone beyond the definition of "numbness" - you couldn't call it that. An endless willpower. An endless will for that far off dream. When does one give up, call it quits? 

It's so bright a light, so far away - but Tim forces his feet, one step after another, like lead weights fighting against a current. He's not going to be left behind. He'll catch up - he has to catch up. He'll have Jay's back, as they keep walking for that distant dream.

\---

[(Kevin Macleod - Mirage](https://youtu.be/xfsKDFRE3HQ))

His wide, white smile is unnatural. He stands strangely too, refined, composed, elegant. 

_Like a Star_.

Helena confides into his ear. _"I'm not certain who we are talking to, he has merged quite flawlessly with his counterpart … and they're both corrupted."_

"So we should split them apart?" 

_"Physically no - but mentally - that might do the trick."_

"Hello Alex." The voice is so weird to hear after all this time. "Remember this place?"

_"Don't give in to his questions."_

"The fourth and final member of totheark …" This causes a brief frown, but Seth turns, messing with a few broken tools on a moldy wooden table.

"Yes … but I was caught a little too early - couldn't begin to join with my brethren - seems others killed you though. My work was done regardless."

"It wasn't your work Seth."

"Tch-" The corrupted angel throws it's head to the side. "Whatever you say."

From his prior experience with Brian and Jay, he knows the soul cannot last long before seething over with rage. When that happens - his weakness will be revealed.

At least, that's how Helena rehearsed it to him.

Alex himself? Right now he's focused on trying not to let his eternal anxiety and guilt shine through. 

"The sun, the moon, and the stars up above…" _Step. Step. Step._ "All shining down upon your useless doll of flesh and bone."

 _"Najima_ , The Star … is that your name? Or is it Seth Wilson?"

It makes the corrupted soul think for a moment, but then a bright light shines in Alex's eyes, and the memory of that day plays out.

They were scouting an abandoned house, for possible film locations. Alex's sanity level was already comparable to that of a fly brainwashed by the illuminati.

Jay and Seth walk around ahead of him, beginning to make their way up a flight of stairs, but when a step creaks under Jay's foot, he steps down.

"I'm - I'm just going to go wait by the car-" And he jogs out to the collective confusion.

"Well that was weird…" Seth says, kicking a board around on the floor. He giggles, "He sure is a cute guy."

And that's what sets off the irrational time bomb. _No one touches Jay. Jay is innocent. No one hurts him. No one talks about him. This man's gonna kill Jay - he has to kill him before he can!_ Alex spends the next ten minutes following his victim around with a raging plan of attack.

Seth unsuspectingly moves into a darker room, with broken, slanted blinds casting an eerily warm glow as Alex's shadow creeps up on Seth's, hands hovering near his neck -

"K-AL-EX!" 

"I KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANNING - YOU'LL NEVER TOUCH HIM AGAIN! NO ONE HURTS JAY!"

And Seth is pleading with him, confused, but the static roars in his ears and in his vision and before anyone knows. It's all over.

He walks outside and back through the park to find Jay, sitting by the wheel well of the car.

"Jay-"

"Why would you bring me here!? You know I don't like these places!" He cries. "All abandoned like someone's going to die! I feel like I'm going to die when I'm inside them like that!"

"Jay … I won't do it again."

And he comforts Jay soothingly with the same hands that ended a man's life minutes before. Jay freaks out again when he learns that Seth is missing, and Alex tells him _"Don't worry, we'll find him."_

He breaks from the trance to see Seth has him pinned to the ground.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO CHOKE TO DEATH!? TO HAVE YOUR FRIEND STARE INTO YOUR EYES AS HE KILLS YOU!?" 

"No. I do not."

"You're _going to…_ "

"No. I am not…"

The vines seize his arms and feet, pushing him up and off. The soul has revealed its weakness.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Nothing's going to Seth, you just need to relax.

He releases an ungodly screech of pain and fear. 

"NO! NO NO NO! LET ME GO -" Alex can feel his panic rising and bubbling, so the vines release their sweet perfume.

"Noooo! Noo - stop it - you can't use your drugs on me." But he's growing more sluggish by the moment, and the white begins to recede, as Seth tries to cripple in on himself.

"I don't wanna die I don't wanna die I don't wanna die!" 

"Seth-"

"It's gonna kill me like it killed you! Let me go!"

But Alex perseveres with his calm voice. "Seth… you're safe now - I know you're afraid of me but I'm not going to touch you."

"I don't … wanna die again …"

"You're just gonna take a nap ok?" 

"I'm so scared…"

"Breathe Seth - please listen to me-"

But he starts flailing again and Alex feels absolutely awful. He's trapping the man, containing him, controlling him. The panic is creeping down his back and _he can't do this_ . He can't calm him down - he's a monster - _he's a monster who violates people._ He grabs his own head, and Seth is beginning to win against the weakening vines, he knows it's a panic attack but how does he stop it!? He's A MONSTER! HE'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING BAD! SOMEONE KILL HIM-

" _Alex. He's depending on you - break this."_

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screams the panic out, which startles Seth into staring at him. He releases the vines holding him, but The Star doesn't bolt. 

"Seth. I'm sorry.-" He hiccups "I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you and to us - everything that happened that day was wrong - it shouldn't be like this - _we_ shouldn't be like this - I want to help you escape this nightmare. Please Seth, _help me._ " Tears run down Alex's face and drop to the floor. "I'm sorry you had to put up with my shitty fucking movie too - I treated you like shit, and I can't blame that on anything else-" He sniffs and wipes his face. "Please, sit with me for a while…" Alex slides against a wall, trying to calm his tremors. Seth has all the chance to run, at least ten feet away from him, but he doesn't - slowly but surely, he tucks his feet under him and sits. The realm of Rosswood is surprisingly peaceful right now. Birds chirping, spring is here. After a few minutes, Seth breaks the silence.

"Alex …" He starts, and he waits for him to continue. "C-can you hold me?" His eyes widen - this was unexpected. "Sure … come over here…" He stretches his long legs out, folding his arms on his lap, trying to open himself as much as possible, letting Seth come to him as slow as he wants.

He creeps over, tip-toeing, frail and weak and skittish. He still has patches of corruption fuzzing on his body. He lays down by Alex's side, and rests his head on his lap.

"I won't touch you … unless you want me to." He keeps his hands folded in front of him.

"Pl-please hold me … around my arms…" Seth sits up, and the lanky man slowly wraps his arms around the man's torso, a soft pressure but nothing he couldn't escape.

Suddenly though Seth is scrambling around and into his lap, twisting to hug him tightly, one arm under his, the other over his shoulder. Overgrown nails dig into his back and he gets the message, tightening his hold securely.

"No one's been here in ages - no one's visited - I don't know how to talk to people anymore - please don't leave me Alex, I don't want to be alone."

"I'm not going anywhere without you, ok? I'm taking you home."

"Home?"

"Yes. There's a beautiful little town full of fountains and cobblestone, and a bunch of people live there, just like us. Some of our friends are there, waiting for you."

"They're waiting for me?'

"Yes. Do you want me to take you home?"

"... Yeah - yeah - I don't wanna stay here anymore - don't leave me here." It's almost like consuling a little kid.

"I won't leave you. I'm going to carry you there."

"Ok…"

So he picks him up, supported by the strength of the vines, and he quickly walks through Rosswood towards their little "back entrance." The man in his arms scans the forest nervously, until they are crossing over.

The moment he steps out of the pool, into the giant fossil room, the tension in Seth's body melts, and he quickly gives in to the grape-smelling perfume. Helena carefully wraps him like a burrito, taking away the corruption spots one by one, as they head back for town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alnassik's form, and the others, will be revealed later.
> 
> Kevin Macleod playlist is still down on youtube rip my life
> 
> But Tim you didn't ask about the Denny's worker.
> 
> God just writing Alex's panic made me super uncomfortable so I guess that makes it more accurate 🤣
> 
> Oh yeah the devil is totally lying their ass off no doubt
> 
> Everyone but Tim and Jay knows they're in love smh


	74. Creature Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim attends the trial of Habit, and gets put into perspective, of just how dangerous #1 really is.  
> Alex sets out again to right his wrongs.
> 
> Alternative Summary: Who had it worse? The sequel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these few chapters are boring but enjoy it while it lasts because hooohhhhhhh boy, 2 more chapters after this and the fun begins.

[(Kevin Macleod - Sneaky Snitch](https://youtu.be/l3_Fh24AGBE))

Seth's body rests in the infirmary, unconscious, but he'd been given a clean bill of health. Alex still can't believe it, sitting in the crappy folding chair next to his bed. _"You did well."_ Helena says.

"There's still more … more mistakes…"

_"C'est la vie, as they say."_

"Hey!"

Seth shouts, sending a the chair back as Alex jumps to his feet.

"Seth?"

"No no no - you know who it is!" And then they laugh.

"You must be The Star then…"

He winks, "Hey, guess what."

"Umm … what?"

"Chicken butt!" And they kick around in laughter like it's the funniest shit they've ever heard.

"That's uh, pretty funny…"

"Yeah - it's genius! Where are we?" 

"A uh … hospital in The Ark…"

"Well shit! They pulled it together finally didn't they! It's been like … 30 years since I've been awake? What’s going on?”

“.... Lots of stuff… I don’t know much.” He starts to slowly shuffle away, not really in the mood for a long conversation.

_“Najima sit still you imbecile! You’re going to hurt him more!”_

“Well he’s healing off _my_ energy!”

_“Yes, healing which means REST!”_

Within a few minutes of this back and forth, the whole infirmary has become an overgrown botanical garden.

\---

(Kevin[ Macleod - Tango de Manzana](https://youtu.be/sjk5Om9cX3M))

This particular session feels … gratuitous. Tim sits far back in the balcony as voices dart around the room, not quite arguing, not quite agreeing, all centered around a void of pride and hatred in the form of an overgrown purple rabbit-spider-thing.

His anxiety is back with a vengeance due to all the people, all the noise - even when he glances up at the soot-covered judge they don’t look keen on interrupting, turning back and forth in the chair and tapping their boot.

The trial hasn’t even _begun._

The Devil yells in an attempt to control the room. “OK! OK! OK! Let’s start from when you all first met Jay Merrick as this trial is about him _specifically.”_

If there were ever a textbook definition of a broken man, a photo of Evan Jennings would be printed right next to it. From across the room, the constant shake he produces sometimes has Tim wondering if his vision is working correctly. The sleepless bruising under his eyes extends far down - don't even mention the eyes themselves. His body shows fear. His eyes do not. Dead - except for the tiniest of lights still hanging in there. He tells of his first encounter with Jay, how he seemed like a normal guy despite being able to 'smell' Habit on him - which provokes an outburst of questions from those unassociated with Evan's group. The man himself looks overwhelmed before Vinny takes over. "Yes .. we were fearful of Jay Merrick, because we could feel Habit's presence on him."

Everyone's quiet.

"W-wait - you _knew_ Habit was a part of him?" Tim asks.

"Yeah … it was kind of obvious…"

"Pfffttt - No it wasn't." The Devil laughs to the silent annoyance of Vinny.

“If you knew Habit for as long as we did....”

“I didn’t see shit-”

“YOUR’E A FUCKIN IDIOT!” Habit yells.

“SO ARE YOU!” The Devil yells.

"But you knew Alnassik ate The Magician!" Vinny yells.

"Yeah - ATE - I didn't think he was making a fucking deal with it." Still yelling.

“That’s literally what half of Habit does! Do we need to tell you again what it’s done!?” Yelling.

 _"Oh my god…."_ Tim rubs his face. This was going to be a long one.

“Fine fine - we’ll go over it one more time…”

A recess is called, and upon return Habit glares at them all, its muzzle taped shut.

"So as much as I love telling Habit to shut up, I didn't feel like watching each of you have a 3 and a half hour bitch fit, so this is more preferable."

And hour. 

By hour.

By hour.

Each person's horrible testimony of the grotesque and vile acts they've endured leaves Tim feeling … somewhat better about his own situation. More so of Jay's situation … what could that thing have done to him if Alnassik hadn't been there? If it didn't 'need' him? Knowing that _it was there the whole time_ has Tim boiling with a cool rage, like dry ice bubbling over a pot. He's pretty sure he can't stand looking at the color purple ever again in his life.

He wishes he could be _anywhere_ else right now.

\---

(Kevin[ Macleod - Mystic Force](https://youtu.be/pfryxqYSHqA))

 **"** **_RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"_ **

Frenzied black hair, the sound of a woman's scream, and the smell of blood. Alex braces himself for the blow to come, a foot meeting his vine-protected sternum, smashing through cheap drywall.

Sarah Reid is proving to be a lot more troublesome. Troublesome meaning the way Alex can barely see her darting to slash and take at him, like there are two of her. Helena is taking the brunt but the other shows no sign of fatigue.

Wheel of Fortune. Two twins named Eijlat and Alhazi with a chaotic set of powers. If they were in full control of them, they'd be almost unstoppable - but luckily for Alex (and the rest of the world) the wheel keeps them balanced. Each assaulting spell is random even to the twins. Sometimes it's nothing but a rain of sulfur dust - other times they're hitting with the full force of a bull. And with their current corrupted state - Alex and Helena just barely have the advantage.

If only it were as easy as words put it.

"I'm going to fucking BREAK YOU KRALIE!"

"Can't break what's already broken." Alex mumbles.

"THEN SHATTER IT!" Sarah screams charging at him. The black corruption erupts like flames across her skin in periodic waves.

"YOU RUINED EVERYTHING, I WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING! I WAS GOING TO BE AN HONEST TO GOD ACTRESS AND YOU KILLED ME!"

Vines catch her wrists and she kicks against the leaves, pulling viciously at the bindings.

"Sarah … I can't say it's not my fault … But … but it also wasn't me either. I wouldn't … I couldn't have gone through with it. Not by myself … I know that. Killing me will just make you more angry right now."

She only growls and foams over the mouth with inky bubbles beyond words. Claws burst from her fingers and Alex - way to close - has to use his own to stop himself from getting stabbed, the webbing of his fingers starting to bleed against the strain.

 _"Only hope you've got right now is knocking her out…_ "

"I CAN SEE THAT!"

The traditional tricks have failed, Sarah burns with a red hot rage, long talons cutting through with precision. Each time he thinks he has her caught, she comes out to deck him, running on the fuel of corruption.

_"You hold back."_

"Tch-"

_"You need to act as you did with Jay Merrick…"_

_'Because I knew Jay could handle it!'_

_"So can she. Your mind is not in the game. Is it fear? Or is it guilt?"_

_Maybe…_ some strange part of him pinches under his ribs uncomfortably, with a feeling that he "doesn't deserve to save Sarah." It's odd and nearly meaningless at this moment. With Jay, his motivation was "I'll do anything to help him" which rid him of his anxieties.

_Blind leading the blind._

He has no idea how it pertains to him, but it reminds him to breathe. Sarah is in trouble - and right now, Alex is the only one who can do anything. He has to be a hero even if he doesn't think he is one.

Set aside your fears _._ Compartmentalize _. And act._

Just as he slows his breathing, the actions do as well. He can focus. She's not moving as fast as he thinks. Her claws extend out straight from her nails, bind her fingers and she won't be able to move them.

He flicks his wrist out and a vine slides off of it, straight path. Black corruption has eaten about half of her body, but it doesn't stop her from slicing the vine. _As expected_.

Briars shoot out of the concrete jungle, from the floors and the ceiling, and then from behind. With overwhelming force it blooms like a forest. She has to attack one side at least, and when she does, the other two surge forward, only a few singular vines are successful in disabling the deadly blades, but it's all he needs - a small window before another outburst begins.

Furious roars erupt from the bundling vines, as they quickly cocoon their target.

 _Finally_ \- she stops moving. Dark spots fall like strips of paper and float away. He can celebrate later, he's spent too much time here already, and carefully hoists Sarah over his shoulder.

_Shick - crack - crack -_

He glares over his opposite shoulder, seems he's not getting away easy this time.

Down the hall, out into the forest, a sweet smile meets him.

\---

[(Kevin Macleod - Lightless Dawn](https://youtu.be/2NSmaa7xEMk))

Habit represents fear, which can be considered as one of the most powerful things known to man. It has the power to divide all peoples, but also the power to unify them all. To make loved ones fight, and make enemies huddle close. A constant hunger for it, a sustenance to feed itself. He is just as bad as 'you know who', daresay worse. 

Why was it born this way? Even the other angels … dumb, yes, but they had some semblance of morality. Someone speaking interrupts his train of thoughts and simultaneously answers the question. _"Habit is a manifestation of mankind's evil."_

 _'Oh wow it's humanities fault who could've guessed.'_ Maybe to a more light-hearted person, his sarcasm would've caused a chuckle.

He scrapes a hand over his face as The Devil hits their gavel.

"We've gone over all the things we can remember, yes?" There's a murmur as they ruffle a long ass paper, and begin reading off a list of crimes which many include "ide" at the end. The judge is bored, the crowd is bored, Habit is bored. They abstain from any dramatics today.

"Obviously by all of the crimes you committed after the last trial, giving you a heart didn't do shit. You're still an asshole… what to do with you … You deserve to be blasted out of existence, but that would be a very unsatisfying end."

"Uh yeah - actually we all agree that would be perfectly fine." Says Vinny.

"Hush." They shuffle their papers back to something semi-orderly.

"I will consider this trial postponed - I still have to decide. But for now, Magician, you're to tend the walls _and the walls only_."

"Why the fuck would I care about stopping _him!?_ "

"BECAUSE I SAID SO AND YOU'LL GO DO IT!"

"Nyehh-" Habit sticks out his long tongue, before being escorted away.

"You're just gonna … let him go again?"

"Yes, but no. For now, under the extenuating circumstances, I don't have _time_ for the kind of effort to deal with that creature." They hit the broken mallet. "Trial postponed, see you all at the next one!" _Poof_.

\---

_Amy_. He shivers, exhaling a cold breath. She still smiles sunny and crisp like he remembers so many years ago, but this time it is accompanied by creeping black veins and horn arching out of her hair.

"So it _was_ you disturbing this realm. You should've stayed, the master is displeased."

"He's not our master, he doesn't have full control of you, doesn't he?"

She raises a brow like she doesn't know.

"Otherwise he'd be here to stop me from taking _you_."

"He's too busy to play with you."

"No, he's never been too busy to _play_." He clenches and unclenches his fist. "You're sick, and he intends to keep it that way."

"And who's fault is that? Who has made us corrupted?"

He grits his teeth and sighs, bowing his head.

"I want to take responsibility for it - but truly _truly_ , the real culprit is that monster … he's doing the same to you as he did to me…"

She only looks at him sadly, a speck of light returning to her eyes.

"I know it wasn't your fault Alex … but I don't have the capacity to think like that now. I only want to kill you. You need to stop me…" 

"Amy, you _can_ break this, you have to believe you can."

"I know I can. But I don't believe I can. I know so many things and I believe _nothing._ " With that declaration, a wind catches him off guard, sending him and Sarah back into the trees, caught by Helena. A modge-podge of gold, reds, and purples burst from behind her, into a towering Jester like façade. A golden face similar to Tim's mask, with a mole, and a large and gaudy hat. Like some horror clown. However, it too is partially corrupted, and skeleton hands reach out to try and cage him - Helena's vines catch them, but the plant ignites into blue flames.

" _Ouch…_ " They mutter in his head, but the power flows through him like liquid rather than starch. Branches and vines surge forward fighting back the giant monster, creating a tunnel for him - at the other end is Amy. He bolts forward. Maybe he's a fast learner, maybe it's because this is Amy.

High Priestess. Kahinat Ealia. That is it's name. If it weren't for the extensive shielding, he'd be victim to the holy blue fires that turn the forest into an inferno. 

His brow drips with sweat moving through the ever changing pathway that opens for him. Helena and the fallen angel are arguing in some unknown language too complicated for his ears.

 _There_. Amy spots him at the same time - wide eyed and stunned. Blue heat shoots out at him - but a wood plate forms on his arm like a shield. As he moves through a writhing forest, cutting his skin and clothes, the two of them grow desperate, firing off uncoordinated attacks at him.

 _Close._ His body is almost fully covered in green and brown, two slits enough to pierce his gaze through.

"Alex you're scaring me!" She screams out, but he's undeterred diving through the last defense.

_NOW!_

"I'm sorry Amy." He doesn't repeat it, doesn't drabble on, just let's the words hang there as the wood binds and cocoons, the apparition of the High Priestess fading and retreating.. The black spills out through cracks, creaking, then bursting off in a shower of wings and moths flying away. She looks exhausted, confused, then focuses on the figure in front of her.

" _Alex … where are we?_ " She mumbles out, before collapsing forward into his grasp with heavy fatigue. He lets out a sigh of relief - before she snaps back to life, staring at him like he's some alien thing.

"Oh look at you! What are you? How fascinating!"

"Uh A-amy?"

"Ah! You speak just like her! Are you related?"

"Uhhhhh." She pokes at him, pulling at his glasses and hair and cheeks and he's too stunned to move.

" _No you are different_ \- how amazing! Oh Helena such a lovely human you've found!" It claps.

" _Shut up Kalia! You've done enough damage to this body, let her rest!"_

"Yes … you're right."

"Wai-" She collapses again.

Now he has two unconscious people to carry.

_Sigh._

_\---_

(Kevin[ Macleod - Reaching Out](https://youtu.be/Otw14bHn3aE))

He taps his fingers against his thigh coming down the hall. At least he gets to return to Brian to wind down after all of it. He plops down in the chair next to the bed, where Brian's giving him a knowing smirk.

"That was awful." He sniffs. Tad dusty in here. Not horribly so. "I still owe you that talk…"

Brian holds a finger to his lip and pats the bed.

Tim doesn't get it. He grows more insistent.

"You want me to join?"

 _'Yes'_ he nods.

"Pfft- Brian - Jay needs his space we can't all fit!" But he's ignoring the protests, leaning back against the pillow, holding Jay against his chest and between his chest. He pats the bed.

"You're not letting this go aren't you." A shake. "Fine, but don't complain if I cut off your circulation."

Carefully, Tim settles onto the bed, and Brian pulls his head to rest next to Jays, carding fingers through his black hair and over his scalp. The effect is immediate, heavy lids falling over and over, which eventually stop blinking altogether. 

The light is soft, their combined breathing softer. If he focuses, he can hear both heartbeats. And that's enough. They're alive and together again. He curls himself further into the hold and shuts away the world. They can stay here forever.


	75. Strength and Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim encounters a being that brings humanities morality into question, and what is considered right and wrong. However, it serves to solidify his resolve, and know himself fully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very odd, off topic chapter, but serves as a very important milestone for Tim.
> 
> Warning I guess for mentions or murder and very brief mention of earthworms.

(Kevin[ Macleod - Miri's Magic Dance](https://youtu.be/J57wv4fers8))

Tim and Brian can hardly believe it - Alex really had managed to pull it off. First it was Jay, then Seth, then Sarah, and finally Amy. All back and safe, away from the operator. Jessica helps out a lot, visiting and talking to them all in their sleep as Toby shadows her around the corridor. 

One by one they rise to consciousness - all accept Jay it seems. They say he needs a little more time, but he's getting there. _He's getting there._ (It's what Tim repeats to himself everyday)

"Where are we? Why is there a second voice in my head? What the FUCK Alex!? Is there anything besides potatoes in this hospital!?" All these questions and more are fired off as they recover and try to make sense of this new yet arcane world.

Alex doesn't even try to get close, the three seem to go belligerent whenever hearing his name.

"You all right?" He asks at one point, Alex leans against the wall, arms folded and a few flowered vines dancing aimlessly.

"I'll take all those words any day, as long as it means they're talking." He smiles.

But as the days go on, and the other three begin getting out of bed, Tim's starting to feel even more worried. It's been a week, and Jay hasn't stirred. Him and Brian take turns watching over him, but now Tim spends the night lying next to him in the bed. Alex comes by too - but he doesn't know what to say, so he sits in a chair for a couple hours staring.

It's unhealthy for all of them to be cooped up like this. So he decides to take his mind off things, and attends the court hearing going on today. 

The trial of Strength.

The other ones had been unbearably annoying or boring, but apparently this one was "the real deal"? It seemed to stir more excitement despite Strength being relatively unknown. Plus, if he goes, it may help him piece some things together about Jay's condition.

He doesn't expect to get much out of it.

\---

[(Shinedown - 45)](https://youtu.be/MLeIyy2ipps)

_"Quaaaaaaaaaaaa~"_ It hisses through the balcony. "I've been waiting for this day again, every trial you have is interesting, so very interesting. The amount you've changed in each lifetime … which one is this again?" The Devil sits in their usual place, addressing a tall, almost zombified looking woman standing center stage, chained to the floor. She wears nothing but overalls over her torn and bruised skin, her eyes like onyx. Scary, but still put together enough to be beautiful in a macabre sense.

"The eighth … the eighth trial…"

"Seven punishments served … we shall see if we're adding another on to the list…"

They smack the rubber gavel.

"We're here today to have a retrial of Strength, to determine if her crimes have been paid for, or if she still is unredeemable-"

"I'm not." The woman interrupts. "I'm not … each time I make the same mistakes over and over. I hurt people. I haven't learned. I'm still guilty."

"... Well shit … thank you Qua, but we're still going to go through the full proceedings."

"That's a waste of time."

"We have all the time in the world."

"We really don't."

"Ok, ok, be quiet for now."

"Qua, The Arcana Strength, also known as "Angel of Mercy" is originally convicted of 297 counts of second degree murder as a paramedic between the span of 1965 - 1983. Victims ranged from those on death's door to perfectly able minded citizens - all of which Qua claimed at the time were suffering to a certain degree and needed to be "put out of their misery." For those not present before, she has served seven consecutive life sentences, six of which involved being tormented by Habit and his "games". The seventh as being a replacement for Habit's heart which led her to be involved with the recent … activities involving Jay Merrick and The Hermit -"

Tim blanks out as The Devil goes _on and on and on_ until- "Now, Qua, you've been killed and revived multiple times, suffered through six lifetimes of Habit's games?"

"Yes."

"And these are where you believe you keep repeating your mistakes?"

"Yes…"

"If you know your mistakes, why do you repeat them Qua?"

"Because I wanted-"

"Don't _lie_ to me."

"....... Because …. In my human form … I have early onset Alzheimer's… and I always forget each trial … and only remember when it's too late…"

"Yet you blame yourself for repeating these mistakes?"

"Yes. Regardless of having Alzheimer's I still made them. I've still killed others in false beliefs..."

"That's true, but there is a difference between willingness and something that is out of your control dear."

"You've told me that over fifty times my Devil, but it still stands, regardless, I am a monster. I knew what I was doing."

"Playing God?"

"Playing God …."

Tim listens with renewed interest. This is some shit they would make a documentary out of. The Devil continues their questioning, repeating what they know already.

"In your time on earth, you killed 297 people."

"Yes."

"And you've killed more off of earth."

"Yes."

"And you did so … why?"

"... To spare them …"

"Keep going."

"To spare them of life's pains …"

"And what were you?"

"A … paramedic."

"Yes, indeed. Someone who is meant to preserve life, not end it. And your first seven punishments for that crime were to learn from your mistakes."

"Yes."

"But obviously, that didn't go over well did it?"

"No…"

"Tell us what happened."

"I can't remember…"

"You can't? Or is it simply too painful that you blocked it out?"

"............... Painful…"

"Then do your best, tell us things you do know."

The woman swallows, maybe - he cannot really tell from up here.

"I … served as a contestant in several of its games … each of which I would … remember certain things over time, but also lose memories as well … so it is spotty and out of order. I've been living in a timeless existence for a whole now." They shuffle their feet.

"Umm Hab- The Magician would still mess around with humans … toy with them and plan things to do to them. I was planted as a human too … he didn't see the difference until the 7th game … so I would get to know these people … I tried to comfort them and patch them up as best as I could with my skills … but it was never ending, they -" She swallows "- many of them started asking for me to kill them. To grant them mercy. And when I did… that was usually when the memories came back and I realized I hadn't changed a bit..."

"Oh yeah "mercy" my ass! Pffft-" Strength visibly shutters as a certain purple menace is ushered into place. "You just wanted to be a pain in the ass and ruin my plans!" 

"... That too." She admits, almost chuckling, but still reserved in some way. Why has The Devil brought Habit out now? A witness? No, they're planning something.

"Qua." Their voice resonates with the room. "I ask again. Is this your fault?"

"Wh-what?"

"Did you _want_ to kill them. Are you a true monster?"

"I … I am a monster … look at me."

"True monsters are those who do things out of pure selfish intent."

"I …" The wall is crumbling. "I mean - I _wanted_ to give them peace -"

" _Did you_ _want to kill your family? Did you love your_ ** _son?_** "

She lets out a gasp. "NO!" If anyone was asleep they certainly weren't now. "I … I still believe everything I've done is out of love…" The being shivers, suddenly, tears falling. "Even after it all I still love!' She screams in anguish and spills the truth. "I still love them! That's why I did it. They would've suffered if I left them alive. Habit would've killed them. I had to make sure he couldn't ever bring them back-" 

"Oh you selfish c*nt, liar!"

 **"Silence Magician."** Habit immediately closes his mouth with the Devil's eerily quiet bellow. ' _They're breaking her down.'_ He realizes. _'This isn't a trial - this is a damn interrogation!'_

"Qua." The devil starts. "Do you believe … if Habit hadn't been there, if you were all free, that these victims would've survived and avoided any harm?"

The corpse of a woman stares far in the distance, tears pouring down her rotting face at the dreamlike scenario. Earthworms begin falling to the ground from under her skin like muscle sinews.

"My babies … my babies would live on forever and ever - I would protect them forever, until their natural time had come." She snapped the chains, and fell to her knees "I WANT MY FAMILY BACK!" Her mouth opens as she wails shaking the small crowd of spectators. Habit rolls his eyes. "I tried! I tried to kill him - to kill _it._ But he - he made me kill my son … I … I held his cold body in my arms until another shot me in vengeance - his husband … and I didn't blame him - I never blamed him - because he was only a child inside - he never had a mother so I still loved him like my son had - even when that _monster_ made him kill the rest of them while I watched!" The shuddering suck of air echoes off the walls. "He deserved so much better - they all did - I blame none of them - none of them - no one but **_Habit._** " The giant of a woman almost looks like a child, shriveled up on the ground and rocking in her sorrow as she lets out the hell she's endured seven times over. Her punishment for her crimes in the human world. Tim can almost feel her agony - and he turns to look at The Devil in disbelief of this amount of cruelty-

Only to see as 37 takes off their helmet, revealing dark hair, and then their air mask.

The Devil is _crying._

" _Qua."_ They wipe with their sleeves. Tim sees himself crying, he can only imagine how Qua feels seeing herself.

"I saw _everything_ , through your eyes … you played your parts so perfectly without flaw… you saved hundreds from Habits reign … and you suffered for your crimes the whole time. Because you are still a feeling creature. I felt it. But you wouldn't speak the truth, until now. I needed you to _realize_." The Devil takes a suck from their respirator. 

Qua stares in disbelief. "I thought - I was supposed to suffer for the rest of time - I'm your tool! You beat me fair and square that day you killed me! This is the price I pay! I deserve to suffer!" She kneels on the ground. "Suffer for them…"

"No, Qua. _You've suffered enough_ … 7 lifetimes full of pain."

They release a harsh cough, but still refuse to replace the mask just yet.

"On the hearing of #8, Strength, I hereby release you. You will be free to live a normal life among the ark…"

The woman. Just. _Stares._ Blinking a few times. "What?" She looks like she's having a heart attack.

"Mama!" A shout from a man, as a group of people come running out from a hallway. One sinks to his knees, and hugs the woman. She is blank.

"Ma, we know why you did it! We saw everything! We don't blame you. No one hates you."

"Wh-what-?"

"It's true ma, we had no idea at first but now we know."

An equally tall man kneels next to her in the line of hugs. "It's okay honey, we're here." They have a fervent tremor the whole time they speak. 

A quivering hand comes up to touch the back of the one hugging her. "Is it really … you … not some cruel illusion?"

"No ma we're real. We're right here."

Then her face collapses into ambiguity, staring off into the distance. "No, no, my kids hate me … they need to be, they need to live, they need to hate me… run."

"No mama, it's all over. They're over. You can come home with us." The son pulls her ear to his chest, letting her hear the heartbeat. "My - my-" She screams, beginning to cry again. "My babies! I'm so sorry!" She leaps at them all in a huge group hug.

"We know mama we know, we love you." 

She gasps. "I haven't heard that - in … in…"

"We love you mama, we love you."

It's a tearful reunion.

Not for long. 

Qua surges up and flies away from the group in a flash. The emotional strain is finally too much on the demi-god. Her anger seethes out and affects everyone, Tim finds himself out of his chair and punching a random pillar in a moment.

"DEVIL!" In both anger and warning, Qua stands up, and the broken chains break again, slithering away like startled snakes.

Black starts crawling up her form - but begins branching out - like a tree, from her chest. The guards move the family away immediately. The Devil stares down at her. _"Fight it."_

Tim feels glued to his chair - not running yet. 

It registers that Qua hasn't even noticed the people in the risers. Corruption oozes out and around - but fails to constrict them, rather sprouting through her limbs. 

_Trapping her there._

Tim can feel her agony - and it looks as if everyone else can too. This is what it _feels_ like. When an angel goes corrupt.

She builds up, like a bomb, the black ichor holding her solid to the spot. His heart hurts - like cardiac - he grabs his chest and begins coughing again. It feels like … the Tower. The Operator. _A warning._

Forward floods a wall of emotions suppressed for years upon years. Hatred and betrayal and … so much of it. He - claws - at his - chest.

He can't _\- breathe._

The black fluid stabs through Qua's head like a spike, separating it into pieces like a wicked crown.

She falls forward.

"Guess you figured it out, huh...…" The Devil murmurs low, approaching the corpse. A light shines through the ceiling and into the dusty room. Gloved hands reach out for the disfigured thing.

"4. Take her to the infirmary, you know what to do."

A nod, and a group of fighters set to work, leaving the scene spotless in a matter of minutes.

[(Kevin Macleod - Love Song](https://youtu.be/WQVWXiENd1s))

Himself? Well he forgot about himself during that fray. He doesn't realize he's sitting alone until the last door shuts.

So he walks away into the roadway … not really certain of what he's just witnessed. What the hell do you make of that?

He doesn't know any of those people, obviously. But he is _human_. He can empathize. He's never had children … he's never been a "mother." And even _he_ has never been as fucked up as that woman-angel thing, whatever was left of her. He can only imagine what his doctor would've said encountering her.

She killed her patients. In her own insanity.

Ineffably wrong - yet she knew that. She knew that _now_. She knew how the eyes of humanity saw her… she was unjustifiable. Yet - that "family" _loved_ her. She had an impact on their lives - for the better. Was willing to sacrifice her body and mind for eternity. The Devil barely had a judging role - the woman was her own judge.

How can something so evil … be so good to others?

What did The Devil see in her that made them cry?

But Tim thinks … maybe he knows. He _had_ sit through the whole trial, heard about the ruthless years of torture and continued suffering, incomparable to the justice done to Habit.

That's where the question comes to play - _did she deserve it?_

Many would say yes.

Many would say no.

 _She_ certainly believed she did.

He stops in the street, reflecting on his own morality. His forgiveness. For the world. For his mother. For his friends. His family. And - may he be damned - he thinks … any creature that can feel true emotion … doesn't deserve all of _that._

Is he too _soft?_ Or is he just the right amount of empathetic? And when had he changed? He knows in the past - he would, a hundred percent, believe the woman deserved it. But that … hate … hate for the world and everything in it … faded. Is fading. When he thinks about all the shit, the muck, the filth, the injustice wrought on him, his usual anger does not come forward. Just a sad acknowledgement of the past.

He looks to the gray sky, letting rain hit his face, lips slightly parted.

_Love._

He is left with love. Love like those people had, even knowing her actions … unconditional love … all of those people at the trial who testified - said they forgave her. That they _loved_ her. She only _hated_ herself - there was no love for herself in that body.

Is that what he was? He only could ever hate himself. 

The image of his mother smiling glowed in his mind. She _loved_ him. She loved him so much - she gave everything, just to give him a chance. To push him forward so that he may live. So that he … he could, one day, love.

A multitude of voices speak.

**""Love.""**

How … how had it not been clear in the beginning?

His mother and all that she did … it was for love.

Qua, The Arcana Strength, all that she did … it was for love.

The Devil - though they appeared heartless - they proved during the trial they were not … everything they've _ever_ done … has been for love. He doesn't need that confirmation. He just _knows it_.

Alnassik - all the horrible shit he'd been up to … it was for love. For humans and his mates and the world.

 **And The Fool … protected the egg … for love**.

He has no idea the voice that says that.

Tim smiles, laughing quietly in the rain.

How far would he go, what things could he commit, to protect Jay, to protect Brian?

_As far as he needs too._

But he has the restraint now, to know, not to rush into things either. He has the _strength_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter which I hope to get out later this week and then SHIT WILL BEGIN MUAH AHAHAHA!
> 
> This is an odd chapter, almost unnecessary but still necessary. I wanted a character with no connection to Tim to question his moral beliefs, and finally face himself, and the kind of person he is. What he will fight for.  
> I like to write characters that, in real life, I would hate, like a serial killer, but make them so morally gray it's hard to make a choice. Evil or not? What is too far? And how much should a person suffer for a certain crime. And thus, we present Qua. An angel of mercy who killed over 297 people. Someone who should be immediately condemned. But her personality, her sacrificing nature, and the lengths she has gone to protect her family make her a rather difficult case to think about. 
> 
> Qua is definitely a comfort character for me which I based off "45" and a few other songs. There's a lot more too her than I included for times sake, but she represents to me "Strength". The ability to be hammered down by life over and over and still continuing to live on. To take the brunt of the world's hatred and her own hatred, but not give in to death. Someone who can take any beating but still, with time, stand up again. But because of all these lifetimes of abuse, she is very messed up in the head, and not all scars heal.
> 
> Btw she's like ... 80, with the body of a 40 year old. She's put up with a lot of shit.  
> If you want to know more just plop a question y'all know I love to talk.


	76. Humanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final pieces of the "Jay" puzzle are revealed.  
> Jessica, The Sun, and Toby enjoy a conversation.  
> The real Jay awakens.
> 
> Alternative Summary: "You know, I was thinking ... What if humans are just as emotionally complex as us?"  
> "YEAH NO SHIT HONEY!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for mentions of violence and historical genocides in the first two flashbacks.

[(Victor Butzelaar - I Gotta Get Out of Here](https://youtu.be/abPeIKPlsV4))

_Flashback_

_(Qua & Jay) _

_Year ???_

_He ran like the rabbit he was, over the river and through the woods. Through closed cities and ancient ruins. That laughter ringing in his sensitive ears._

_He had tried to pull the heart out of his chest many times, but it wouldn't budge, worm-like tendrils securing it to his body. He doesn't want to feel anymore, he doesn't want to know the weight of his sins, the constant back and forth of the thousands he's killed all screaming in fear, anger, and a few even laughing, or just peacefully dying. He wants this weakling drug of empathy to leave._

**_Again._ **

_He cuts and cuts and - it breaks._

_"I did it!" The heart sploshes against the pavement of the strange city._

_Not before an arm bursts forth, running him through with a sword._

_It … can't be her. That weird bitch from all the way back then. But alas it was._

_"Youuuuu bitch-" She looks as she did before, a crazy old hag in a decaying body. Manic and black eyed._

_"Do you remember me Habit!? Do you remember me! I told you this day would come!" She cries with glee. "I told you, all those years ago, that I might not live to see it, but The Devil would beat you! Punish you! You called me a liar! A 'sick zombified wench with brain damage', you screamed at my face 'I'm the devil bitch, I'm satan.' And I told you that you were wrong - that The Devil was far more than you could ever wish to be!"_

" _#108008 … I remember you…"_

_She growls, expecting a more snappy, sarcastic asshole. But The Devil has already ruined him. Oh well, she'll get her vengeance one way or another. Thousands of patients and 80 years of purgatory - she knows how to make it hurt._

_"I'm sorry…" His ears bend back._

_A mother's rage, red and grueling. She roars, slicing her sword up and out, taking his shoulder. He hardly reacts._

**_"SORRY!? SORRY! NO, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE SORRY - YOU KNOW WHAT I AM NOW HABIT!? I AM THEIR PAIN, THEIR FURY, THEIR LAST PRAYER, THEIR STRENGTH. AND THEY SAY YOU HAVEN'T SUFFERED ENOUGH!"_ **

_When had she become so tall? Was she always this tall._

_"Let's start then with my son, you had him kill his own love so morbidly so - and then you broke all of his joints. I had to put him down myself because of_ **_you_** _. Guess which one I'm going to do to you first Habit!? And it won't even make up for it in the slightest! No, you're going to be paying for their anguish too, every single second they spent in your hell hole."_

_She tightens a grip around Habit's neck._ _Despite it being larger and muscular like the overgrown rabbit he is._ _"He's watching right now - they all are, all those who've waited for years and centuries - they're all here. And no one is going to give you mercy." She laughs, fully embracing her darkest side without remorse. Never for Habit. Mercy isn't a word in his book. "And then maybe we'll get on to all the Nazi bullshit - or Yemen, and Stalin's soviet union. Everything you've plagued your existence with-"_

_"How do you know that?"_

_"Don't interrupt me-"_

_"By the mother … what has that Devil turned you into? This sword - that power - that ever pulsing vengeance… they've made you an angel." He laughs, only a small chuckle. "Oh my hells bells - #8, how could I have not seen it? You're the replacement for Strength!"_

_"... What are you talking about."_

_"Oh, you have a lot to learn dear heart, you're just a toy. The Devil, #15. Strength, #8. And I-" He gestures to himself. "The Magician, #1."_

_He cackles, falling to his knees to cry. "_ ** _Alshaytana_ ** _\- they've started a_ **_war_** _. How clever - how fucking mad - they can't be serious…"_

_".... I know I'm a toy."_

_"But you have no idea what for. He's already coming for us. It seems our fight will have to be postponed."_

_"Why? What are you on about?"_

_But Habit's ears are already flicking, a presence on four limbs, tail like a serpent, coming for them._

**_"Magician, Strength."_ **

_"Hermit."_

**_"I have a proposition for you."_ ** **_~_ **

(Victor[ Butzelaar - The Garden](https://youtu.be/xDjh5Ribv1Y))

_3 months after Jay's death._

_"That was the gist of it. How I met Habit, and The Hermit. See Jay, we are outgunned, unfortunately. Trapped here until the barrier weakens. Right now, we are powerless…"_

It's a lovely day in this imaginary Rosswood park. Jay sits on a bench with the large woman named "Qua". 

_"_ What are they planning to do?"

_"I'm not certain what means to an end they're planning. The answer changes every time, but right now, Habit, Alnassik, and many of the other souls they've already captured, They're fighting for control of your body, for freedom - and for more power. The minor suits of the arcana._

"So … that's why we're here?"

_"Yes. I do not envy you."_

"Yeah … this is all … real weird… but maybe it's a second chance?"

" _That is an optimistic way to see it."_

"Will I get to see Tim again?"

_"He is your family?"_

"No not necessarily - a friend … well, last time we were together we had a bad argument…"

_"I see. I too want to see my family again. At least to make sure they're not suffering anymore. Though I believe I will not have a good outcome."_

"Because you're a serial killer?"

She laughs. _"Yes, indeed. But you … you still have a chance."_

"I'll do what it takes … even if it means taking a back seat for a while…"

_"I do wish you luck. He must be very important to you to go these lengths."_

"I have to apologize to him. In the flesh, with nothing influencing us… apologize for everything I've done to get him into this mess…"

\---

(Victor[ Butzelaar - The Submarine](https://youtu.be/TthOE0uXwK0))

_Flashback_

_(Alnassik)_

**_"I have one last crusade."_ ** _He said out loud one day. **"One last task for the restless.**_ ** _There is one more thing I seek."_**

_"You can't be serious." They said._

**_"I am."_ **

_"We'll never be able to do it!"_

**_"Then we will sit and rot like the bones we are!"_ **

_They went silent._

_The twins spoke in tandem._

_"So you_ **_will_ ** _help"-"the humans."_

 **_"Unfortunately and fortunately - yes."_ ** _His ever grinning skull seemed to gleam even more._ ** _"Because we still exist after the last crusades - we are already human."_** _He chuckled._ **_"The damned bitch tricked me! They even warned me, ha! I was so naïve."_ **

_"How could they best you?" The High Priestess asked. "That human can't kill us."_

**_"No, They didn't have too. They brought us down, by making us the equivalent of humans. By letting us feel all those taboos which they possess."_**

_Helena spoke next. "You speak in the past tense - 'we are already human' - which means, you've already done something - haven't you?"_

**_"I borrowed a secret. Some powerful information. And by doing so we've betrayed our own kind. We are human."_ **

_"But all power comes at a cost..."_

**_"Yes … and now - it is a favor I owe, for our freedom…"_ ** _which shocked Eadala._

_"I thought you said … we were free?"_

_And the secret he had not wanted to say, had to come out if he wanted to sway them._

**_"You are free … because I killed them all. The higher angels. But we don't have freedom, not just yet."_ ** _But they never heard the end of his sentence standing there bewildered, all but Alqamar, and Helena - always the clever one - they knew all along._

 _"You … how...?"_ asked Najima.

" ** _I didn't do it alone. The magician, by mutual pact, ripped out their heart - and I ate it. And then I found the_ _devil_. _I intended to take their heart as well. But I found something so strange. They were flesh and bone. And they offered me a fatal, horrible, awful truth."_** _Alnassik laughed hysterically._

_"_ **_How far I have fallen. I am more human than ever. And I want REVENGE."_ **

" _Go on." Spoke_ _Helana._

 **_"And so I found Harut. The last one to escape and he was corrupting the human procuracoes to stop me on earth. And my fatal flaw was finally revealed. My own humanity."_ ** _He_ _twists his face with sincerity._ **_"I … care for them…"_ **

_\---_

_(Victor[ Butzelaar - The Fifth Plague](https://youtu.be/2a6nDZL0WfA))_

Jessica dips a brush into whitewash, lifting it to the brick walls and painting a symbol drawing she has on a crumpled piece of paper. Several others are doing this too, marking all of the city's buildings with symbols, and refreshing those that already exist.

-

"What do these do?" They'd asked earlier.

"It can't stop _him_ from coming - but he has to walk here, can't just teleport right in. He has to go through the front door basically …"

She still speaks jovially with her neighbors, finally people who can understand her experience. But in the last week, there's been a noticeable tension. They all work with an ever increasing fervor, frequently dropping brushes and buckets, diagrams and losing papers, tripping and falling and saying "clumsy me". Everyone's heartbeat is audible if you get close enough. None of them mention it though. As if it can put off the inevitable.

The only one mentioning things seems to be The Devil. They too, are acting nonchalant, humourous, like there's nothing to worry about.

Nothing to worry about, even after they finally announce: _"Jay Merrick has surpassed The Devil for the third spot."_

"I was really hoping Strength would be up to bat, but it seems that isn't going to happen. Women's down for the count!" 

Then: _"Jay Merrick has surpassed Habit for the second spot."_

"Man I wish I was still young and powerful. Live it up while you can!"

And finally: _"Jay Merrick and Tim Wright are matched for the first spot."_

The joking stops then. The Devil is busy all the time now, taking no visitors. Working on _something_ with the fire company.

-

Jessica concentrates. Maybe there's too much paint on her brush, but she gets the shape right.

**"Nostalgic to see these."**

The Sun bodes behind her. Even this surly angel has been coming out more and "making acquaintances".

"If I didn't know better I would say these are occult signs."

 **"They are."** He muses. **"But before that, they were magical in nature."**

"I know it's to protect us, but what exactly do they do?

**"Uruz, Algiz, Thurisaz … many have to do with protection … a barrier perhaps."**

He admires the handiwork with a charred thumb.

**"The Devil is anxious. This is the first time in so many thousands of years that they're ready to face the being which ruined their life. Admittedly … we all are…"**

"No shit." 

**"In the early days of my servitude, his motivation was simply to toy, to provide himself with entertainment. I would know, as I often participated … but at some point that changed … he has a dead set motive and none of us can know what it is."**

"Maybe he's finally realizing his "toys" are strong enough to bite back."

 **"Strong enough with the angels … his** **_own_ ** **kind… that's where his hatred lies…"**

"That would make sense - I mean think about it - if you wanted to get back at someone, and you're evil, hurt that person's friends - he's just taken it to a higher … super overly complicated level of bullshit."

**"Interesting… furthering upon that, maybe he's finally decided it's simply too much to handle anymore. Erase the world, clean slate. Like a video game."**

"I didn't think 'The Sun' would play video games."

**"I was more influenced by humans then my own kind for much of my life."**

Is that smile she sees? Unknown, as a second later it's gone.

**"It seems like the most plausible theory at the moment."**

"You're seriously telling me no one thought of that before? Not even The Devil who apparently knows it all?" She smirks.

**"No. The Devil doesn't care about his motives, they just want blood for blood."**

"Fair I guess… I'd think a creature with thousands of years under their belt would think of everything by then."

**"You'll find many immortal creatures become set in one way of thinking. Round and round on a loop - until something comes along to challenge that loop."**

"Was that how you gained your freedom? Something challenged you?"

**"That can be said, yes. I went digging for answers and found whole tidals worth of information. That and a heart I had to admit I owned... Even that sniveling, weasley, eavesdropping, perverted bastard under that lamppost has a heart-"**

_"Shit!"_ A shadow slinks around the corner and into an alleyway.

 **"….** **_More or less… Definitely less._** **"**

"Ha."

(Victor[ Butzelaar - The Tenth Plague](https://youtu.be/ROw-wx0cXgw))

Toby is ecstatic with all these new people waking up. Shy - but ecstatic nonetheless! He's also eavesdropping, though less sneakily more excited puppy dog-ly.

**"What is it you need little fledgling?"**

"W-well - j-just wondering … s-since we had the same bos-ss…."

 **"Yes?"** He raises a gold eyebrow.

"Umm… Idon'tknow." He twists around and then meets his eyes. "How many others were there?" He bursts out.

**"I'm not certain. He liked to keep us separate, but if not, then in small groups. Though it couldn't have been that many, too much to keep tabs on."**

"Oh… th-at confirms … a lot." He picks at his fingers. "He always called me … h-his … f-favorite… I believed it … before…"

**"That is a common method of control. Either that, or he berates a servant until they fear for their remaining sanity."**

"What do you think would've happened if -" He hiccups. "If-I st-stayed?"

The charred angel seems to take a moment to consider his next words. **"Either, he would've disposed of you beforehand … or … torture you until you became… like me."**

"Like … you?" Jessica also stops to listen.

 **"Some angels are born. Some are made. I once believed I was made, but those were false memories… however…"** He looks off in no particular direction.

**"The Devil, the new Strength … they were made. It took many millennia for The Devil to be respected as such. But they used that underestimation to their advantage, and got to where they are today."**

"Are there more?"

**"I would not doubt it."**

"Hmm…" He lowers his face, a tad to the side, the move me makes when he's upset.

"What's wrong Toby?"

"I don't know … I just got this weird feeling for a second… I don't know how to d-describe it … like something's wr-wrong."

"Is it a panic attack? Take deep breaths."

"No - no this feels different. I d-don't like it …"

Then The Sun growls, looking to the west, towards the early afternoon. **"I feel it too."**

"What is it?" 

The Sun sniffs the air. **"Smoke … cannon fodder."**

_\---_

[(Victor Butzelaar - The Second Plague)](https://youtu.be/YBiTo4FpobI)

A sliver of light breaks his quiet sleep, and it grows, until he realizes it is not a light, but a room, a ceiling far above him. It's warm here. Warm and peaceful. There's a hand in his face - his own, and it reaches out to settle in the texture of cotton flannel. He shifts, noticing Tim sitting up against the headboard next to him, dead asleep. Alex is across the room, sitting in a chair, focused on some kind of magazine. He blinks, trying to remember where he is, why Alex is here, why Tim is here - didn't Alex shoot him? Or was that a dream … he remembers running through a field … in a skull mask. Running through forests, through static, months on end. But it all trickles back as he awakens, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

 _'Ah … that makes more sense_.'

Alex has taken notice, "You with us Jay?" He murmurs.

"I … guess." Even the small sound causes Tim to rapidly awaken.

"Jay? Jay! Jay." He repeats, steadying himself.

"... Hey … Tim…"

"How are you feeling?"

"Mmm …" He blinks slowly. "Better … it's quiet…" 

_'Because Alnassik is absent…'_ He hears Alqamar bellow gently.

"Any pain?" 

"No … I don't … think so."

Alex stands up, vines dancing in the filtered light behind him. "I'll give you some privacy…"

"N-no it's ok, you can stay Alex." Jay reaches out slightly.

Alex snorts. "Whatever you say." He still turns himself around, keeping a lookout down the hall. He notices the nurses haven't come around _at all._ In a few hours.

Tim stares at Jay, his somewhat avoidant face, his personality, his mousy hair, the laces of anxiety and his somewhat perverse morality. How he speaks in an awkward and monotone voice trying to hide his blatantly apparent fear.

Tim sighs - it doesn't go unnoticed.

"What? Did I lose a hand or something?" 

"... All this time … How much do you remember… how much of it was the real you?" Jay blinks and cautiously, comforting, he pets the back of his hand.

"Even if it wasn't me all the while… I remember everything, I saw everything. And …" He mumbles curling his fingers together, looking away. Admitting the solemn truth was always a rough thing for Jay to do.

"Don't get all shy on me now bud." Tim is smiling, smiling genuinely, because this is definitely Jay. Fully Jay. Stupidly smart and smartily stupid Jay. 

He attempts to curl away on himself. " … I was always looking forward to our life after all - that stuff… you know, before..." He gestures like he's holding a camcorder. "I want to … get to know you again … I - I mean like I said, I still remember but I - if it's alright with you -"

"Jay, stop talking. Yes."

"Y-yes?"

"Yes, I'm fine with that. Getting to know you again…" Jay smiles and hides himself a bit.

"This is … weird … I'm acting all … sappy … n' stuff…" Wheeling his hand around for emphasis.

Tim pulls him close. "Just shut your brain up. Stop worrying about it." Jay's face goes pink and red. 

"M'yeah, ok."

"You should get some more rest, I don't know how much internal -"

A siren murmurs low, and then cries out in a crescendo. A banshee marking doom and incoming terror. 

"What's happening?"

Tim and Alex are frozen stiff.

**[End of Act 3]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S TIME. 😈


End file.
